


Two Odd Princes

by Starlight_88



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Asexual Reyna, Coming Out, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Implied Relationships, M/M, Multi, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, asexual Bianca, implied Rachel and Octavian but not actually a thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-15 10:24:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 53
Words: 110,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9230735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlight_88/pseuds/Starlight_88
Summary: Nico di Angelo had been shunned by his father, King Hades, for two years after he came out and told him he's gay. Since then, the young boy lived two years as a normal commoner, lying to others about others about whom he really is and where's he's been.Will Solace, son of King Apollo, has live a normal life in the Sun Palace with loving and supporting family. He's never had to worry too much about what his parents thought of him.Two years after Nico was rejected by his father, his older sister, Bianca, comes to him with news. She is getting married to Prince Will Solace and he's been invited back to his home palace to meet his soon to be brother in law. Nico agrees, for the sake of his sisters, to come home.What could go wrong if he were to go home? The answer: Everything.





	1. Chapter 1

Today was like any other summer day in Hades Kingdom. Calm breezes, sunny skies, the constant chirping of birds. It was one of the best times for Princess Bianca to sneak out of the castle to visit her younger brother.

She slipped out of her room in a her favorite jacket, and old green hat, and basket in hand, making her way down to the kitchens. With her jacket, she looked just like a servant, so no one would question her when she packed her basket full of food.

The kitchen was even busier than normal and the princess knew why. That's why she had to sneak out to visit her brother as soon as possible.

Bianca filled her basket with apples, cheese, a few pieces of expensive meats, and fancy pastries before rushing out of the royal palace and through the woods.

The woods were Bianca's favorite place to be. She felt as one with nature and often found herself hiding away from her royal duties whenever she could. An old friend of hers, Thalia Grace was her name, showed her how to track, hunt, and even how to shoot a bow. All things her father believed a princess would never need, but it had become her hobby.

After an hours walk, Bianca had reached the small town where her brother lived. It was alive as ever. The market was full of people doing their best to get the cheapest price on items, and merchants trying to sell their good.

The young princess smiled, wishing she could have her brothers' simple life instead of the high expectations she had to live up to.

Bianca made her way to the other side of town where her brother was to be found. He lived in a small rental apartment and worked at an inn down the street.

She knocked on the sixteen year olds door. She heard her brother unlock the door and open a bit, saying, "Come in, B."

She did as she was told, closing the door behind her and setting the basket on the counter.

"How you doing Nico."

He sighed, disliking this question. "Same as usual. You?"

"Good," she responded, taking out an apple and slicing it up for them to share. "I thought about bringing Hazel with me, but father has a message for you."

Hazel was their half sister. She was only six, and Bianca often bring her along when she went to visit Nico, but her father had made sure to put more security around the castle, making it harder to sneak the younger princess out of her room.

"What does dad want?" Nico asked.

"Well, funny story actually," B started with a nervous laugh. "I'm engaged."

Nico's eyes widened. His sister? Engaged?

"To whom?"

"It's an arranged marriage father set up with King Apollo of the Sun Kingdom. In two weeks, Prince William Solace will be visiting the castle. To make everything look normal, father wants you back at the castle."

"Why?" Nico said, anger hinting in his voice. "So he can kick me out again for my sexuality?"

Bianca sighed, wishing her brother would just be happy for once. "Will you come back? For me? You could see Hazel; see the library that you would never leave; see your old room again. Maybe even--"

She would've continued on, but Nico cut her off. "See the parent who was willing to basically ban his own son from his home because he likes guys?"

Bianca let out a breath, wanting the yell at her brother to just cooperate for once, but, of course, he didn't. She understood where Nico was coming from. She would be just as mad if their dad had kicked her out for liking girls.

"Why can't you just use the excuse that I'm visiting Uncle Poseidon or Uncle Zeus? That always works."

"Because," she explained, "if I'm going to marry this man, then he needs to know the truth about our family and you two need to meet each other. You're going to be a brother-in-law."

"Not by choice," Nico mumbled.

"Hey, you think I got a choice in this either," she said, raising her voice a little. "I don't want to marry, especially a guy I've never met. And I've never dated anyone, nor do I want to date, so put yourself in my shoes. I'd be happy to take your place over mine any day."

Nico's anger vanished when his sister spoke. He remembered how she had never truly fallen for anyone romantically like Nico had.

They both took a breath to calm themselves. Nico opened the fridge and pulled out a bunch of small McDonald packages of caramels to dip the apples in. Bianca rolled her eyes at him. He ate way too much McDonald's.

"So," Bianca said, "when was the last time you actually visited our uncles? Like, for real?"

Ever since his father shunned Nico, the whole family used the excuse that Nico was visiting one of their uncles. Sometimes it was for a family visit, other times it was royal prince duties, but it was almost always a lie.

Nico hadn't been to see his Uncle Poseidon since his cousin, Percy Jackson, started dating a girl named Annabeth Chase. Since then, Nico had felt kind of awkward around them. One was because he was more a third wheel, and the other was because Nico once had a crush on his cousin. He also hadn't been to visit his Uncle Zeus or his cousin Jason in over a year. Jason and Nico got along. Jason knew about Nico's secret and had no problem with it. They kept in touch.

Nico cleared his throat. "Doesn't matter," he waved it off. "Tell me about this Will guy. What's he like?"

B reached into her pocket where she had a small photo of Will. She handed it to him to see.

It was a boy who looked around Nico's age. He was tall, tan, and had curly blond hair that reflected the sun's rays. His eyes were bright blue like the sky. Nothing like Percy's. Will's were more clear and non-sea like. His body was also built like an athlete's.

He's attractive, Nico thought, blushing like mad. Bianca noticed and did her best not to laugh.

"Like what you see," she teased.

"Shut up," Nico mumbled handing the picture back. "What do you know about him?"

"Well, not much. He's about the same age as you, knows a lot of medical stuff, and can sing, apparently."

Nico thought about it. Clearly, he didn't have enough information to trust this guy with his older sister. What if he was a creep? This left Nico with only one option.

He ran a hand through his hair before he replied. "Fine. I'll come home."

He glanced up to see his sister with the brightest smile in the world. It caused him to smile as well.

Bianca wrapped her arms around her little brother, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't wait to see you at home!"

Nico smiled again thinking about going home, forgetting about all the bad things there for once. He'd see both his sisters again, his old room, the library, and the gardens, his favorite place to take a stroll.

Bianca pulled away, picking up her basket after pulling all the extra foods out. "I gotta go now, but I'll try to stop by again. Love you!"

"Love you too, B!"

The door closed a few seconds later leaving the young boy to think.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will learning about his engagement

Will arose at sunrise. This was a natural thing for the young prince to do. Ever since he was young he was the first to be awake. Some time even before most of the servants.

He stood up, standing up from the bed and opening the curtains, allowing the early morning rays to flood the room.

Will ran a hand through his messy, curly bed head and yawned, trying to rid himself of his sleepiness. Outside, the birds had just began their morning song, making him smile.

After taking a moment to look outside, he picked up his pajama pants and putting them on as well as a gray sweatshirt. He opened his door, making his way down stairs to the kitchen for coffee. There, he found Austin and Kayla standing near the coffee pot with mugs for themselves. When they saw Will come in, they started to make him a cup.

"Morning, Prince Will," Kayla greeted, handing him his drink.

"Knock it off with the formalities," he said before taking a sip. "We're friends."

They sat around for a few more minutes, drinking coffee in silence. Eventually, all the other servants began to show up, all of them greeting their prince. Will offered to help make breakfast, but they all declined. They claimed it was no work for royalty.

Will went back to his room after finishing his coffee. He grabbed a pair of shorts, a clean T-shirt, and a pair of socks then hopped in the shower, doing his morning routine. Thirty minutes later, he went back down the stairs and into the dinner room.

Both of Will's parents sat at the table waiting for him. His mother was reading her favorite book, the Iliad. His father was reading the newspaper. When he entered, both of them put aside their read materials.

"Morning, son," they greeted.

"Morning," Will said, taking his seat and filling his plate with waffles.

The king and queen looked at each other when their son wasn't paying attention. They were having a silent debt as to who should start a very serious discussion with the young prince. Naomi, Will's mother, shot Apollo a glare, gesturing for him to begin. At that moment, Apollo knew that he'd lost the battle.

The king cleared his throat. "Will, your mother and I have something we need to talk to you about."

"Okay," Will reply, syrup dripping down his chin. "What is it?"

The king glanced at his wife again before continuing.

"Well, oh how do I put this... Will, you're getting married."

Will almost choked on his waffles. His mother rushed over and patted his back, trying to help him through it. After he was okay, she scolded her husband.

"Apollo, he was eat!"

He raised his hands in defense and explained more. "You'll be marrying the eldest child of King Hades. Her name is Bianca di Angelo and you'll be visiting her castle in two weeks."

"But dad," Will complained, "I don't want to get married."

"You have to. For the sake of the kingdom."

Apollo began to explain all the political things behind the marriage, but the prince wasn't listening. He didn't want to be married, let alone someone he's never met. And what if they didn't like each other? Then what?

"I had someone bring a packet with some information on her to your room. When you get up there, I expect you to look through it," his father stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have work to do."

"But dad--"

His father waved as he walked away, sipping his coffee. Will groaned, settling back down into his seat. He didn't want to eat anymore.

"How long ago was this arrangement made?" Will asked, looking at his mother.

She sighed, replying, "About two years ago. I'm sorry we didn't tell you earlier."

He huffed, leaving the table without permission. His mother didn't try to stop him either. She understood where he was coming from.

Will quickly made his way back to his room, mumbling under his breath as he did. Once he was in his room, he immediately spotted a folder on his desk. He decided to read it just to please his father.

On top of all the papers, was a picture of what he assumed was Princess Bianca. She has long dark hair that was fashioned into a braid. Her eyes were dark shade of brown and her olive cheeks were dotted with freckles. The princess was beautiful, no doubt, but Will still didn't want to marry her.

He quickly read through the pages about her likes and dislikes. Her favorite hobbies were archery and she liked the woods quite a lot.

After reading about the eldest sibling, he moved onto the only brother of the family, Nico di Angelo.

Nico's eyes were a dark brown, similar to his sister's, but not as dark. His hair was combed and slicked back, but even from a picture it was easy to tell that his hair wasn't meant to be like that. More messy, like he just woke up. His skin was pale and, with the suit, made him look even paler.

He's attractive, Will thought. Then his eyes widened when he realized what he'd just thought.

He looked away from the picture and began reading bout the prince. Apparently, Nico wasn't found at Hades castle much. He often went to go visit his cousins, Percy and Jason, at their homes. His hobbies included sword fighting, reading, walks outdoors, and hanging out with his sisters.

Will glanced at the clock, seeing that it was already noon, and he wasn't even through with all of his homework. He'd been reading all morning at his soon to be family. He decided to take a break and go for a walk to clear his mind.

On his way out, he picked up her phone and headphones for music. He turned on his favorite song while sneaking out of the castle and into the gardens. There, he was finally able to relax.


	3. Chapter 3

Will sat in a carriage, making his way to Hades castle. It was nightfall now, so they were planning to stop at a small inn about half an hour away from the castle. His coachman said they should just continue on, but Will insisted they stop for the night; besides, he didn't want to disturb the royal family in the middle of the night.

The past two weeks had been busy for Will. He had been fitted for three new suits, reading stacks of books on the kingdom's costumes, and, possibly his least favorite, ballroom dancing and other things he'd need to woo the princess.

The carriage stopped on the outskirts of the town at a small inn that was still open. It wasn't the finest place, but it didn't matter to the young prince. All he wanted was a bed to sleep in for the night. He told his men, and everyone else that came with him that he was checking in. Without waiting for any objections, he entered the building.

At the front desk was a woman in her late twenties. She was reading a book, but looked to be falling asleep. Will couldn't blame her; it was almost eleven at night.

"Um, miss?" Will said, lightly tapping the woman's shoulder. She jolted up, her reading glasses falling off as she did.

"Oh, sorry, sir. Uh, what is it you need?" she asked.

"I need a room for one and for one night. There are a few others outside that will be in shortly as well."

"Oh, um, one second," she stood up from the desk, walking down the hall into another room. She poked her head into the room, speaking with someone. A minute later she returned with a boy behind her. The boy looked familiar.

"Here's your key, and my friend, Nico, will show you to your room."

Will took the key, thanking the woman, and then followed Nico. When he heard the name, he had a suspicion that it was the prince, but he knew that couldn't be right; the prince would be at the castle, right?

"So... you have the same name as the prince," Will stated causally, trying to start a conversation, and see if he was correct.

"Yep," Nico answered, nodding his head. "What's your name?"

"Will," the blonde replied.

"Same name as the Sun prince?"

"Yep," Will answered.

They were at the door now. Nico told him that if he needed anything to call the front desk. Will bid farewell to the black haired boy, entering his room. Nico began to walk away, but turned around; looking at the door once it was closed.

That boy looked a lot like Prince Will, he thought.

Nico shook his head, telling the woman at the front desk he was heading home for the night, and that he'd be back by seven in the morning. On his way out, he caught a glimpse of a carriage, the one he assumed the boy Will came in, and, if he didn't know any better, he could've sworn he saw the royal seal of the sun kingdom on it.

***

Nico ran down the street to the inn. His alarm didn't go off this morning, so he was running late. He knew this meant that he'd have to stay later as a punishment. That's how the manager allows punished late employees.

He ran, sneaking past the front desk where the manager was right now, and entered the kitchen. The cooks were cooking breakfast for the guest who ordered room service.

"Nico!" someone shouted. He turned to see the head chef holding out a platter. "Take this to room 22, please."

Nico nodded, placing the platter on one of the carts. He rolled it out of the kitchen and into the elevator, making his way to the second floor. He was at room 22 within two minutes.

Nico knocked on the door, waiting for whoever was inside to open the door.

"One moment," the person said, so Nico waited.

The door opened, revealing the blonde haired boy from last night. Will's hair was damp, most likely from a sower, and his white button up shirt was tucked halfway into his trousers.

"Oh, hello, Nico," Will greeted.

"Morning," Nico replied.

Will stepped out of the way, allowing Nico to enter the room. Rolling the cart in, Nico entered the room. The room was still as spotless as it had been when he last entered.

Nico set the platter down on the table, taking his leave. Will thanked him as he left. Before Will could even shut the door, his two friends, Lou Ellen and Cecil Markowitz, came in. Lou Ellen was the daughter of Lady Hecate and Cecil was the son of Hermes, the owner of the number one shipping company. Will had brought them along instead of a servant; he knew that there would be enough servants to help him once he arrived at Hades palace anyway.

"Time to get ready, Will," Lou reminded him, as if he'd already forgotten.

He rolled his eyes, starting to eat his food. Lou and Cecil were the very few people who didn't call him 'Prince Will' or 'your highness' and Will was happy about that; it reminded him he could have normal friends.

"Come on," Cecil said, nudging Will's shoulder. "No time to eat. You have to get ready."

Will groaned, standing up and found his suit.

***

Nico was in the kitchen help make breakfast for the entire inn guest. He was cutting some fruit for a smoothie when the manager called him out. Nico gulped, knowing he had been caught about being late.

"Nico," Ms. Fisher said once they were in the hall. "This is the fifth time you've been late this month."

"I know, but--"

"On top of that," she continued, "you've broken three plates and two untouched wine bottles, and they were the expensive type too." She sighed, getting to the point. "I hate to do this, but you're fired. Today, you'll be getting your last pay check."

"Okay," he replied back in a bored voice. "I was planning on quitting soon anyway."

He walked back to the kitchen to finish his task, thinking about where he'd work next. There was a bakery a few blocks away that was hiring. He could get a job there. In the middle of his thinking, his phone rang. He looked down to see it was 'The Huntress', Bianca's code name. They were always afraid someone might take Nico's phone, so everyone had a code name on his phone.

He took a little break to answer the call.

"Hey, B," he answered.

"Where are you? He's on his way," she shouted into the phone.

"I'm still at work, but I swear I'll be there as soon as possible. I still need to go home and pack and then I might need to look for a new job--"

"New job? What happened to working at the inn?"

"I'll explain later," Nico told her. "See you soon."

He hung up, making his way back to the kitchens.


	4. Chapter 4

On the way to the castle, Lou Ellen and Cecil were helping Will stay calm. They ran through what to say and things not to say. Needless to say, Will was nervous and afraid he was going to embarrass himself.

“It'll be fine,” they told him. “The princess is probably just as nervous as you.”

Will knew that to be true, but he couldn’t help it.

The carriage pulled up to the palace front gates, opening for them. Standing outie the door, the royal family waited for them. Will could see the king and queen standing side by side looking professional. Next to the queen were the two princesses, Bianca and Hazel. The younger princess was tugging on her sister's dress and pointing at the carriage.

“Yes, I see Hazel,” Bianca told the small child, “now hold still. We don’t want to anger Papa, do we?”

Hazel shook her head, standing still and holding Bianca’s hand.

Will exited the carriage, Cecil and Lou Ellen behind him. They greeted the king and queen first, and then the princesses. Will took note that Prince Nico, for some reason, was not present at the moment.

Will stood in front of Bianca, both of them doing their best to avoid the awkwardness.

“Princess,” Will said in the most polite tone as possible, “it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He took her hand, kissing the back of it.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Bianca replied, taking her hand back.

Will then knelt down to Hazel's height. “And you must be Princess Hazel, correct?”

Hazel nodded, being shy. She even hide behind her sister.

Will chuckled, “Well, it’s nice to meet you as well, princess.”

He stood back up, standing in front of the royal family again.

“Your luggage,” Hades began to tell them, “will be taken to your rooms shortly. How about Will and Bianca have tea in the gardens and get to know each other?”

Hazel made a noise of protest, but, before Hades could scold her, Lou Ellen suggested they play with the younger princess. Hazel’s eyes lit up.

“A splendid idea,” Bianca agreed, though, on the inside, she was refusing to have any interactions with this boy. “I’ll lead the way.”

On the way to the gardens, Bianca realized she didn’t have her phone on her. That meant there was no way to avoid Will and she couldn’t check up on her brother. Trying to think of where it was, she internally sighed, thinking, this is going to go horribly.

***

Hazel was playing with Cecil and Lou Ellen in her room. Her nanny was given a break from the two older kids claiming they had it covered. After playing for ten minutes, a phone rang. It was playing a song that Cecil and Lou Ellen had never heard, but Hazel knew the song. It meant Nico was calling.

Hazel followed the sound, finding the phone and answered. “Nico!” she screamed in joy. “Where are you? When are you coming home?”

Nico smiled, hearing his sister's voice. “Hey, Hazel. I’ll be home soon. I’ll be running a little late though. Like, three days late. Where’s B?”

“She’s have tea with Will,” Hazel told him, not remembering the prince part.

“Okay, can you tell her what I told you? The three days late part?”

Hazel nodded. “I will.”

“Thanks sis. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Bye.”

They hung up and Hazel went back to playing, forgetting about the message she was to deliver to her older sister.

***

It had been three days now, and Bianca was getting worried. Nico hadn’t shown up yet. She tried calling, but he wouldn’t pick up. She tried texting, but he didn’t reply back to those either. On the third day, she was planning to sneak away after lunch and go to Nico apartment to check on him. Unfortunately, her plans were ruined by her father. He insisted that the young couple go for a picnic in the gardens.

Neither one of them wanted to. Everyone in the castle, every except Hazel, and been forcing them together. Honestly, they just wanted a break from each other.

In the gardens, they found a blanket laid out for them and a basket with lunch. They sat down, talking about their likes and dislikes. More dislikes than anything. Half way through their meal, Hazel came running through the gardens, giggling like she was playing.

“Hazel,” Bianca said, now standing, “you’re supposed to be with your nanny. Where is she?”

“Shh,” the younger girl giggled, hiding behind a tree.

Bianca went to check on her sister, leaving Will by himself. In the distance, he heard someone calling out for Hazel. A second later, a young man with messy black hair came into view. He was wearing dark jeans, a black shirt with a skull, and an old jacket. The young man turned in the direction of the tree when he heard laughter.

He ran over with a smile on his face. “Found you!” he shouted, picking up the princess playfully. Hazel screamed, and then continued to laugh.

The boy with the black hair looked a Bianca, his expression now becoming terrified. He placed the young girl down, taking off in another direction and away from the older sister. Will looked over to see a mad Bianca.

“Get back here, now!”

The boy came back, but was ready to take off any second.

“Nico,” Bianca said through gritted teeth. “Where have you been?”

The boy, Nico, laughed nervously. “Did- didn't Haze tell you? She was supposed to tell you I’d be running late.” Bianca leaned in, ready to strangle him. Nico’s eyes landed on Will, his eyes widening. “You wouldn’t kill me in front of the prince, would you?”

Bianca stopped, remembering that Will was still there. Her face turned red in embarrassment.  
“Sorry for that, Will,” she led Nico over to picnic area. “Nico, this is Prince Will Solace. Will, this is my brother, Prince Nico di Angelo.”

Nico held out his hand for Will. He shook it. Their eyes met and Nico was silently telling him not to bring up the inn.

“Nice to meet you, your highness,” Will said.

“Please, just call me Nico.”

“Then just call me Will.”

There was a moment of silence. Bianca broke it by clearing her throat, asking, “Does father know you’re here yet?”

Nico’s eyes darkened. “No, father doesn’t know I’m here yet. I went to see Hazel first, the you. I believe one of their servants is informing him as we speak.”

As if on cue, the same servant that Nico asked to deliver the message came over to them.

“The king requests your presence, Prince Nico,” the servant told him.

“Alright,” Nico said in a bored tone. “I’ll be there soon.” He dismissed the servant, turning to his sister. “Wish me luck. I’ll take Hazel back to her room first.”

Nico started to walk away, Hazel close behind him. Bianca frowned.

“Don't keep him waiting too long,” she called after him.

“No promises.”


	5. Chapter 5

Nico hesitantly knocked on the office door. He heard his father say come in, so Nico did, knowing it was too late to turn back.

Hades faced toward the window, his back turned away from his son. Nico stood near the door, expecting this to be a quick visit. Unfortunately, Hades told Nico to sit. The young boy knew this meant he was in trouble.

“Nico,” Hades spoke without any emotion, “where were you when Prince Will arrived?”

“Finding a new job,” Nico replied with attitude, not caring how his father felt. Hades ignored the tone in his son’s voice.

“And why’s that?”

“I got fired for being late.” There was a silence, Nico assumed that this was all the king wanted to know. “Is that all?”

“No,” the king finally turned to look at his son. It had been over a year since they had seen each other face to face. He noticed how much his son had grown. He looked paler, and his hair was longer and more unkempt. “At the end of the month is the engagement party. The next day your sister and the prince will be on their way to the sun kingdom. The day they leave, I expect you to leave as well.”

Nico narrowed his eyes and clutched his hands in anger. “Is that all you called me up here for? Just to give me an evacuation notice? To kick me out again? I know the only reason I’m here is so the prince doesn’t get suspicious of our family ‘secret’.”

Their family’s ‘secret’ was about Nico liking guys. No one other than the royal family knew about it. The servants in the castle knew there was a fight between the father and son, causing many difficulties for everyone, but they never knew what the fight was about. The rest of the kingdom didn’t know anything about it, and, when the prince was away, they were told it was for political reasons; that Nico was going to negotiate or make deals to help their country. In reality, it was because the prince wasn’t welcomed by his father.

Hades sighed with his eyes shut. “Nico, just bear with me--”

Nico had suddenly gotten up from his seat and was already out the door. He wasn’t dealing with his father a second longer than needed.

***

Nico was walking down the halls of the castle, trying to remember his way around the place. It was difficult, has it been two years since he set foot inside his old home. He knew how to get a few places: his father’s office, both his sisters rooms, the library, and the kitchens. It embarrassed him that he didn’t remember where his own room was. He wished he could somehow ask without humiliating himself.

“Nico,” someone shouted from behind him. He turned around to see his wish come true. Hazel was running up to him. “Let’s play in your room.”

Hazel grabbed his hand, leading him to his room. HE made sure he was paying attention to where they were going. After a few turns, they were standing in front of his door. Nico hesitantly opened the door, revealing his old room.

The bed was neatly made just like the day he left it. On the far side of the room, were a television and a small couch. Next to the couch was a table with a deck of Mythomagic card. Nico couldn’t even remember the last time he played the game; thinking back on it, he hadn't played since he left this very room.

“Princess,” Hazel’s nanny called out, “oh, princess, where are you?” She sounded desperate.

Hazel ran behind the couch. Nico knelt down to his sister, asking, “Does Miss Diaz know you’re here?” The little girl shook her head no, but then yes. Nico sighed, scooping her up and carrying her out to the nanny.

“But I want to play with you,” Hazel whined. “I miss you.”

Nico frowned. It’s not he didn’t want to play with his sister; it’s just that he needed to re-adjust.

“I’ll play with you later. I promise.”

Nico handed Hazel back to Miss Diaz, heading back to his room. When he got went back, he remembered the books he had hidden under his bed.

Back when Nico lived in the castle, his father wanted him to focus on his studies. Nico hated studying or anything along those lines, so he’d read fantasy book. When he was caught, his father started locking up the fiction section of the library, but Nico had managed to snuggle a few out and hide them.

All the books Nico had taken were still where he left them. A few still had dust on them, but others were well kept. He wondered if someone had been in his room while he was gone, but decided that wasn’t important anymore.

The young prince wandered around his room, slowly remembering his way around. All the clothes in his closet no longer fit him, meaning he’d have to go out and buy new clothes for his short stay. He’d also have to fit for a suit.

Nico took a deep breath, flopping onto his king sized bed. That’s another thing he hadn’t always liked. He was only a boy, so why did he have such a big bed? It never made sense to him.

He stared at the ceiling, thinking and thinking till he fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

There was a knock at Nico’s door. He rolled over, ignoring the person. The person knocked again.

“Go away,” he shouted in the direction of the door.

“Open up,” they called though the wood.

Nico, still having no motivation to get out of bed, stayed put. He thought it might have been the landlord asking for this month’s rent.

“I’ll have your money by tomorrow, Marilyn. Now, please, go away.”

The door swung open, revealing a young lady in a pink dress. Her dark hair was let loose over her shoulders. Nico met the woman’s eyes, recognizing the annoyance and frustration right away. It was Bianca.

Nico immediately sat up, now fully awake. He didn’t want to anger his sister even more than she was now.

“I-- I thought you were with Will,” he said, unsure how to survive the situation.

“I was,” she told him, lifting up the clock by his bed. “But I had to come get you for dinner. Get dress; you’re late already.”

Nico stood up, rubbing his neck. “Problem with that is that nothing fits anymore.”

“Didn’t you bring a suit? I know you own one.”

Nico shrugged, falling back on the bed. Bianca sighed, telling him that she’d be sending dinner up to him. He breathed a breath of relief, knowing he wouldn’t have to go down and face his father again.

***

Bianca stormed back down to the dining hall. Outside the doors, she paused, taking a breath trying to calm down. She was able to convince Nico to come home, for her, she thought, but he’d only been acting like a stubborn mule around her. At least with him there it wouldn’t be so awkward with Prince Will.

She entered the room, a fake smile on her face. After taking her seat beside Will, she began to explain Nico’s situation. Not the real one, of course, the one that was going to save him from being judged from their father.

“Nico’s tired from his travels,” she said. “He already asked some of the servants to send him a meal. After that, he’s going to bed.”

“I see,” Hades replied, uninterested in his son. “So, how was the picnic?”

Under the table, Bianca's hand twitched. Something that only happened when she had reached her limit with something. This ‘something’ was all the stupid dates her father had been forcing them on and she was sick of talking about them just as much as going on them.

“Fine,” Bianca replied before Will could. “Tomorrow, though, I think the boys should have some bonding time. You know, just Nico and Will.”

She had her fingers crossed that her father would agree, or that her step mother, Persephone, would go along with it. She needed a break from the blonde haired prince.

To her relief, Persephone somehow worked out her plea for help. “I think that’s a marvelous idea. The boys could use a few days to get to know one another.”

Hades started to object in the kindest tone possible. “Persephone, dear, I--”

“Oh, so you do agree? Then it’s settled. I’ll work out the plans after dinner.”

Persephone and Bianca locked eyes. The princess sent a silent thanks to her stepmother. Even if the boys only bonded for half the day, it was enough of a break for her.

***

Nico scarfed down the food that was sent to his room. He never thought he’d taste such mouthwatering food again. He thought about asking for more food, but didn’t want to cause more work for anyone. He knew how hard it was to work for someone else.

An hour after Bianca left for dinner, there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for a reply, the person came in. It was his stepmother, Persephone.

“Oh, Nico,” she squealed, pulling him into a hug. Nico pushed her away, but the queen seemed unfazed by his actions. “It’s been over a year. How have you been?”

Unlike Hades, Persephone was fine with the fact that Nico was gay. Nico favored her more than his father. “Fine,” she answered, trying not to sound rude. “If you don’t mind he asking, what are you doing here?”

“Oh,” she said, like she just remembered, “yes. I came here to tell you that you and the prince will be having a bonding day tomorrow. Your sister needs a break from Will.”

Nico let out an annoyed sound, accepting his fate. He knew there was no way getting out of it. Especially when Persephone was on her side.

“Fine, I will,” he said, then mumbled, “Not like I have a choice.”

If his step mother heard, she didn’t acknowledge it. She left the room, leaving Nico to whatever he’d been doing before.

***

The next morning Nico went down stairs for breakfast. The dinner room took him a little long to find, but, luckily, Persephone was the only one there when he arrived. His father wasn’t there, as expected, but he didn’t mind.

A few minutes later, their guest arrived. Will came into the room wearing a striped green sweater and jeans. His hair was still damp from the hair he’d taken a few minutes ago and his eyes sparkled in the morning light. Nico looked away before he got caught looking at the prince.

Hazel ran into the room, dragging Bianca behind her. Unlike the small child who was fully awake, the older sister was still half asleep. Hazel had run into her room five minutes ago, jumped on her, and said that they needed to get to breakfast as soon as possible.

“Hazel,” Bianca had asked when they were out her bedroom. Her little sister hadn’t even given her time to change out of her pajamas. “What’s the hurry? It’s not like we're missing anything.”

“You promised me you’d play with me after breakfast. The faster we eat, the faster we can play.”

Bianca wanted to object, but didn’t want to hurt her little sisters feels. It was also too early in the morning to argue with the six year old.

At the dining table, Hazel made Bianca sit next to her instead of Will. Without knowing it, Hazel had done something kind to her. Across the table, Will and Nico sat beside each other, not speaking.

The queen and the eldest princess locked eyes, agreeing they needed to do something about the silence.

“So, Nico,” the queen said, all attention on her, “what will you and Will be doing today? Any plans?”

Nico shrugged. “Not really,” he turned to Will. “Is there anything you wanted to do?”

“I’d like to know where the library is, if that’s okay.”

“Alright,” he said, like it was nothing important, but, on the inside Nico was relieved because that was one of the few places he could find. “We’ll go there after breakfast. What are you going to do, B?” Nico asked, hoping to change the subject.

“I--” she was cut off by a certain little girl in the room.

“She’s going to play with me!” Hazel shouted in excitement, digging into her waffles.

Bianca rolled her eyes, starting to explain her plans for the day. “Yes, play with Hazel for a little bit, pack a lunch and go shoot some arrows. I’ll be back for dinner and after dinner I’m going to take a long, hot, steaming bath.” She closed her eyes like she could already imagine it. This was the most relaxed Will had ever seen Bianca in his life.

They all began to eat. Nico ate like a two year old, making a huge mess. Bianca tried to stop him, but then looked over at the other boy at the table, seeing he was just as bad. She gave up after looking at the two.

When Bianca was done, she asked to be excused by Persephone. She nodded, but then the princess asked to take Nico with, claiming she needed his help with something.

“But my food,” he complained. He already had three plates of waffles. How much more could he eat? Bianca rolled her eyes at his childish complaint, pulling him out of the dinner room.

“What do you really have planned?” she asked.

“What? Me? Nothing…” he trailed off with a nervous laugh. He tried to run, but his sister grabbed his wrist, glaring at him. “I may or may not have called up Jules Albert to take us somewhere.”

“Does either of our parents know?”

“Sure. Let’s go with that.”


	7. Chapter 7

After getting scolded by his sister, Nico went back into the dining hall. Will had just finished when Nico walked in, so they went to the library. Neither one of them talked as they made their way down. Nico was excited to go back the library that he hadn’t seen in years. Will thought about starting a conversation, but didn’t know what to start with.

They reached the library doors, the guards opening them for the two princes. They entered, thanking the guards.

“Any books you’re looking for?” Nico asked Will.

Will started to recall all the books his father told him to read so he knew the country better. “The History of Hades Kingdom by Thoth. My father said it was a thrilling book.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Okay, any other book? One that you might actually find entertaining.”

Will was about to defend himself, but then he saw how Nico was looking at him. It was the ‘don’t-even-try-lying’ look. “Do you know any good fiction books?”

“Of course I do. Follow me.”

Nico lead him to the back of the library where all the fiction books were. Hundreds of books lined the wall. It reminded the young prince of the times before he was kicked out. Oh, the joy these books brought him.

“Wow,” Will mumble. “This is way more than I have a home.”

Nico cracked a smile. “What kind do you like?”

“Fantasy adventure.”

Nico thought of all the fantasy adventure books that every person should read. He knew where almost all of them were, so he went off to find them, telling Will he could look around. Twenty minutes later, Nico had a stack of books for Will that would occupy him for his stay.

“Let’s see... “Nico said, trying to pick where to start. He held up the first Harry Potter book. Will said he’d read all of them at least three times. “How about this?” He pointed to the box set of all the Narnia books, which Will had read before. It when on like this for a while, before Nico finally said, “What have you not read?!”

Will thought about it, replying with, “Dragons. I haven’t read too many things with dragons.”

Nico turned around to the bookshelves again, returning with four books. The first was blue, the second red, the third one back, and the final one green. Nico picked up the first one, reading the back out loud.

“Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes the is merely a farm boy -- until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed. Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save -- or destroy -- the empire.”

Nico waited for a response. The response that Will had was taking the book as well as the others.

“They sound good. I’ll start reading them tonight, but can you help me find that other book? My dad gave that book to me as homework.”

Nico nodded, leading the other prince to the area he thought it would be. They both started looking, but struggled for over forty minutes before taking a break. While they looked, they made small talk. Then Will asked Nico a serious question that he’s wanted the answer to all day.

“Does your sister like? I don’t mean like me, but is she warming up to me at all?”

Nico sighed, beginning to explain. “Bianca is doing her best to be nice, but she’s still mad about the whole arranged marriage thing. Especially because she’s never dated or fallen in love and now it’s being forced upon her. My parents aren’t helping with it either; she feels uncomfortable in situations she’s forced into, like all the dates my father’s setup. Does that make any sense?”

Will nodded. “I’m not too happy about the arranged marriage either. I didn’t even know about it till two weeks ago.”

Nico chuckled. “Neither did she. The second she found out she came to me to make sure I was going to be home.”

The last part perked Will’s ears up. Why wouldn’t Nico be home? He was the prince after all and the castle was his home. He knew the prince was usually off on foreign affairs, but it didn’t make any sense.

“Why wouldn’t you be home?” Will asked.

“My father always has me running around for him,” Nico said, using the same old lies. “I’m away a lot.”

“Is that why you were working at the inn?” Will asked, regretting as soon as he spoke. Nico tried to hide his shock; he didn’t think Will would bring it up, but, of course, he did.

“That was just a little experiment I was doing on my free time. I wanted to know what life was like for the commoners of the kingdom.”

On the inside, Nico was panicking. No one had asked him this question without knowing about his secret. If Will were to somehow figure out he was gay… he tried not to think about it. It was too soon to tell what his reaction would be.

Luckily for Nico, Will went with it, not knowing what else to think. “Alright, makes sense, I guess. What else do you have planned for today?”

Nico smirked. “Ever heard of a game called Mythomagic.”

***

Nico and Will were playing the card game in Nico’s room. They had started the game right after lunch. Nico taught Will how to play. Nico shocked himself, realizing he still know how to play. Now they were on their third game, and Will had yet to win.

“How?” Will questioned, looking at Nico’s cards. “That guy was dead. How can he come back?”

“I had the Asclepius card,” Nico said. “Asclepius can revive any monster or person I want within the first round their dead.”

Will huffed, annoyed at the boy in front of him. “This is no fair. This is my first time playing.”

“I’m going easy on you.”

“Why do I feel like you're lying?”

Nico let out a laugh, amused at the frustration Will was having. Will threw down the cards, giving up. After playing for so long, the game got boring.

“Come on,” Nico said standing up. “Let's go get some snacks from the kitchens.”

Will stood up, following the younger boy.

***

Bianca stood in middle of a secluded area of the forest where she often went to relax. Pulling another arrow back, she released it, letting it fly to the tree in front of her. She smiled, seeing it had hit the center of the target again. Seeking more of a challenge, she took a few steps back and did the same thing again.

When she was down to her last ten arrows, she decided to take a quick walk then head back to the castle. The walk was peaceful; just letting the light breeze ruffle her hair, and the smell of freshly bloomed wild flowers hit her was all the princess wanted. The woods were her special place to go where no one could treat her like she was anything more than a girl; she wasn’t considered a princess or anyone of a higher status. There she felt normal.

There was a rustle coming from the right, interrupting Bianca’s peace. She stayed still, slowing reaching behind her for an arrow. Seconds later, a small rabbit hopped out of its hiding spot. Normally, she would’ve ignored it and continued her walk, but something was off. The rabbit had been moving like it was running from something, and the princess knew it wasn’t her.

A twig snapped. Bianca, doing what any person in a horror movie wouldn’t do, ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her back to the castle. Behind her, she could hear footsteps following her. Even though she shouldn’t have, she looked over her shoulder.

A man dressed in dark clothing was just eight feet behind her. In one of his hands was a gleaming silver dagger. Seeing the weapon only made her run harder.

She broke through the trees, the castle now in view. Using up the rest of everything she had, she sprinted up the steep hill and tried to get a fighting advantage.

At the top of the hill, she turned to the man was just being to climb. She loaded her bow, letting the arrow hit the man’s shoulder. He let out a cry of pain, falling to his knees. Bianca wasted no time darting back to safety.

“Princess,” one of guards shouted when he saw her running. “What happened? Are you alright?”

Bianca paused, trying to regulate her breathing again. “Over there,” she pointed toward the area that she had come from. “There’s a man who tried to attack me. I shot him in the shoulder, so that should slow him down.”

The guard immediately started to bark out orders. “You two take the princess inside and put the place under lock down. Inform the king right away. You five, come with me; the rest of you split into two groups. I want half of you here to defend the royal family and the others to patrol the area.”

“Yes, sir!” they all shouted, scattering to do as they were told.

The two guards that were instructed to take me inside did as they were ordered. They were escorting her up the stairs and to her room when she saw Nico and Will with their arms full of snacks. Nico looked up, seeing his older sister who was supposed to be relaxing in the forest right now. He knew something was wrong.

“What happened?” Nico asked, concerned for his sister’s safety.

“I was attacked,” she told the boys. “The castle is going under lock down till the threat’s gone. Both of you go to your rooms now.”

Both Will and Nico protested.

“Like hell I’m leaving you,” Nico told her. “You’re my sister.”

“Yeah,” Will backed him up. “It wouldn’t do anyone good if you end up dead.”

“I don’t need your help, Will,” she told him.

“Think about it,” he said. “If I can protect you from this, it’ll be one good story to tell our kids.”

Bianca was taken back by his comment, but quickly recovered and started insulting him. Will, who was just trying to lighten the mood, coward in fear and tried to hide.

Nico pulled him by the sleeve, whispering in his ear, “That’s the exact thing you don’t do; especially if it’s Bianca.”

Bianca was the first to be escorted to her room, then Will, and finally Nico. Bianca refused to speak to Will after the comment he had made. He tried to apologize, but she would just turn away and not listen.

When Nico arrived at his room, he shut the door, locking it, and went to go find his sword. He hadn’t touched his sword, or any other sword, in years. If he was lucky, he’d still be able to use it like he used to. After scavenging around his old room for twenty minutes, he found it under a floorboard beneath his bed.

Nico waited an hour, making sure there wasn’t anyone to stop him, before running down the hall to Bianca’s room. He already knew that Hazel would be in there; she was always taken to the eldest sibling when she was scared.

On the way there, he paused at Will’s door. Should he? No, it would just create an even bigger problem. But what if something happened if he were alone? Before Nico knew what he was doing, he opened the door a little, before opening it all the way.

Nico was greeted by being shoved up against the wall and knife pressed to his neck. Will pulled away when he realized who it was, then locked the door.

“What are you doing?” Will practically shouted.

“Sneaking into Bianca’s room. Wanna come?” Nico said casually, like this was a normal thing. Will rolled his eyes and wondered how he was able to remain calm during a time like this.

“Lead the way.”


	8. Chapter 8

Will and Nico crept down the hall, making as little noise as possible. Neither of them had uttered a word since they left Will’s room. Bianca’s room was near the end of the wing of the palace while both the boys had come from near the entrance of the same wing.

Soldiers patrolling the halls made it had to maneuver around. They had doubled security in the west since the lockdown started. It seemed that King Hades did want to keep all the children safe even if he didn’t like one of them.

Nico paused when they were about to enter the last hall to his sisters room. He heard footsteps coming so he pushed Will back further, trying his best to hide both of them in the shadows. Somehow, it worked and the guards continued down the hall they had come from. When they had passed, Nico checked again, gesturing for Will to follow.

Both the boys stood outside Bianca’s door. Nico made the first move to knock. When he did, he heard a shriek from inside; no bout from Hazel. Before he spoke up, he looked around, making sure no one else would hear. “It’s Nico.”

The door opened and reached out, grabbing Nico’s shirt. He managed to grab Will’s wrist before he was completely pulled in. Once they were in the room, Bianca locked the door and faced them. Her face held many emotions; concern, anger, relief. When she spoke, it was anger.

“What are you two doing,” she shouted, then lowered her voice a little. “You’re both supposed to be in your rooms where it’s safe. Sneaking around when the palace is under lockdown is not good, so why do it,” she sighed, done with scolding them for now. “I’m just glad you guys are alright.” She gave both of them a hug before remembering Hazel was still there.

Hazel hid under the bed as soon as there was a knock at the door. Bianca had to crawl under the bed and lure her little sister out, telling her that Nico was here to play.

Hazel smiled, running over to her brother, hugging him. Nico hugged back right away before Hazel went to get one of her toys to play with. While he waited, he turned back to Will and Bianca who were now sitting on the bed about a foot in between them.

It wasn’t till then did the older princess remembered what Will had said earlier, and, just like that, her mood turned back to anger.

“About that comment earlier,” Bianca said, glancing over at Will. He gulped, putting more distance between them. She noticed how he was slowing moving away and decided to corner him more. “Make another stupid suggestion like that again and I will make sure one of my arrows is the last thing you see. Understood?”

Will nodded, lost for words. Bianca walked over to where Hazel and Nico were now playing with some dolls, leaving the other boy in the room to accept how his life may or may not end. Will made a mental note to watch what he said about her for now on.

***

It was late in the afternoon now. Hazel was asleep on Bianca’s bed and the other three people in the room were gathered around in a circle playing a card game, waiting for the lockdown to be over with.

“So, Nico,” Bianca started, “what were your plans for the day?”

“I didn’t have anything planned till after dinner, but I obviously can’t do it now.”

“Is that what you needed Jules-Albert for?”

Nico glanced up at Will before replying. “I was planning to sneak Will out and take him down to a sports bar to watch the Yankees game. Thought it be nice for him to have one night out as a normal kid.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “A sports bar? We’re not old enough to drink.”

“Maybe in your kingdom,” B said, picking up another card. “But the legal drinking age here is sixteen.”

“Oh,” Will said, embarrassed that he hadn’t known that. Then again, why would he? As a prince he would need that kind of information. “It’s eighteen back at home.”

Bianca smirked. “Looks like I can drink in both places then.”

Nico shook his head, placing down another card. After looking at both of them, Will assumed this was normal behavior for them.

Just then there was a loud knock at the door. Bianca went over to it, picking up an arrow and her bow on the way. Nico followed in suit, walking closer to the bed where Hazel rested.

“Who is it,” Bianca called out.

“Thanatos,” a king’s royal adviser said. “King Hades sent me down to tell you personally that the lockdown was over, but advises you all to not leave the castle grounds.”

“How do we know it’s you,” Nico asked.

Outside the door Thanatos sighed. “Prince Nico, when you were a child you asked everyone in the palace to call you the Ghost King up till you were ten. You would even walk around the halls with a sheet over you and a crown on your head.”

Nico’s face turned red remembering his childhood. Will, who was on the other side of the room, smirked at the thought of seeing him dressed up like that. He’d have to ask Bianca for pictures later.

“It’s him,” Nico said. “No one else would bring that up.”

Bianca went ahead and unlocked the door. Thanatos stepped in, telling the three older children what they should and should not be doing for the next few days. Nico, on the other hand, pushed passed the older man and ran out of the room.

“Nico,” Bianca called out from down the hall. “Where are you going?”

“To see dad; see what I can do to help.”

“Are you insane?”

Nico smirked. “Maybe.”

He took off again, leaving his sister there in shock. He was up to something, but what? She turned to Will.

“Go with him, please,” she requested. “Make sure he doesn’t get into trouble.”

Will nodded and went to follow the black haired boy.


	9. Chapter 9

Will quickly caught up with Nico. They were right outside Hades office door when Will grabbed Nico’s shoulder. Nico tried to pull away, but the other boys grip tightened.

“What are you doing,” Will asked.

“Getting answers,” Nico replied, placing a hand the door knob. Will pulled him back again, keeping him from barging into the office.

“For what?”

Nico sighed in annoyance. “My father isn’t going to tell up anything on this assassination attempt unless we make him. That means he won’t give us any information in who it is, what to look out for, or what we should expect. He thinks it will help keeping us in the dark, but it won’t.”

“Look,” Will said, letting go of Nico. “I know you’re concerned for your sis--”

The door opened and Nico entered. Will sighed, realizing he should never have let go of Nico. He followed the other boy in, not know what else he could do now; obviously, his mind was already set.

Hades looked up from his desk when he heard the door open. He was surprised to see it was Nico; he assumed that he would stay as far from him as possible, not wanting to see the man who threw him out of his own home. It shocked him even more when he saw Will following behind him.

“Nico,” the king spoke in a cold tone. “Go back to your room; it’s safer there.”

Will shut the door, knowing that their conversation would escalate at some point.

“No,” Nico said. “I want to know about this person that tried to hurt my sister.”

“We have it under control. It’s none of your concern.”

“But it is,” he struck back. “What if this person goes after me? After Hazel or Will? How else are we supposed to defend ourselves if we don’t even know what we're up against?”

“The guards are being doubled. There’s no ne--”

“No,” Nico’s voice rose, causing Will to flinch a little. He hadn’t seen angry and he didn’t like it. “I want to know how I can make sure they don’t go after B again. I don’t care if they come after me, and I know you don’t either, but I care about protecting my sisters.”

Hades still refused to tell Nico anything, and Will didn’t intervene; he didn’t want to get on the King’s bad side or Nico either. Both of them were shouting loud enough to be heard from outside; heck, the whole palace might have heard by now.

The door opened once again, but now Princess Bianca stood in the doorway. She didn’t look happy either.

“You two,” she shouted, “need to get along better.” She turned to Will and told him to leave the room and check on Hazel, which he did without hesitation. Once the door was shut all the way, she continued. “I don’t care if you’re both still holding grudges from two years ago, but there is a guest here that has no idea about it. What y--”

“Then tell him,” Hades said, trying to come to a compromise. “Then the prince will understand the family problem.”

“First off,” Nico said, “it’s not for anyone to tell; it’s for me and me only. Second, family problem? Are you saying that my sexuality is a problem?”

Before another argument started, Bianca took over.

“See, this is exactly what I’m talking about! Dad, please, try to act a little more mature about it. And, Nico, stop being so… so stubborn all the time and learn when it’s time to intervene. I know you’re only trying to help, but you need to know your place.”

Nico frowned, realizing what Bianca wanted. This was the first time Nico had been home for more than one day in two years and she just wanted everyone to get along.

“I’m sorry, B. I’ll try.”

She sighed. “Thank you, Nico.” She turned to her father. “But can you please tell us about this assassination attempt? Whoever it was did try to come after me, so I have the right to know.”

Hades sighed, gesturing for both kids to take a seat. Once they were comfortable, he began to tell them what he knew.

***

Nico and Bianca were now walking back to where Will and Hazel were last seen. One of the servants told them they went back to Hazel's room shortly after she woke up. When they entered the room, they saw the blond haired prince sitting on the couch with the young princess watching the Miraculous Ladybug and snacking on cookies. Will noticed B and Nico first, then Hazel who ran over wanting to play with her siblings.

"Not now,” they told her, causing her to frown. "We need to talk to Will first.”

Hazel pouted at first, and then went back to watching her show. The older sister turned back to Will, beginning to explain.

"No one was able to catch the guy or get a good look at him, “she informed him. "He got away from several guards. A few say they had him cornered, but he slipped away using his surroundings and smoke bombs. I’m surprised though; the arrow I shot him with didn't slow him down too much.”

“Any idea on who might want you dead,” Will asked.

She shook her head. “No idea. My dad was saying that he might have angered someone, but couldn’t think of anything else.”

“So what are we supposed to do till this guy’s caught?”

Nico was the one to answer. “Make sure we’re never alone. B’s and I are going to stick with Hazel most the time because we know how to defend ourselves. I already know you can cause you almost killed me earlier.” Bianca’s eyes widened, but didn’t question what happened. “Will, don’t trust anyone unless they have a note from us or the king. We all have code names, you could say, and that we use so no one knows it’s us. Bianca’s is the Huntress, Hazel’s is Little Gem, and mine is--”

“Let me guess,” Will smirked. “The Ghost King?”

Nico replied in a serious tone. “Yes, actually, it is.”

Bianca laughed a little, dismissing herself to go sit with Hazel while Nico explained the rest.

“My dad has also warned us not to go outside for a week or so, and we can’t leave the grounds, of course. He also wants to double the security around here. Can’t blame him either.”

Will nodded, trying to think of anything else he could suggest. Nothing came to mind.

“What about my code name,” he asked after a moment. “Do I get one?”

 

Nico looked at him, trying to think of one. He looked at the other boys face, then his hair. It reminded him of one thing, and one thing only.

“Sunshine,” he finally said. “Your code name is Sunshine.”

Will grinned. “Is that because I’m from the Sun Kingdom?”

Nico grinned back, agreeing with him instead of telling him the truth. He didn’t want anyone knowing what he thought of Will’s golden locks.


	10. Chapter 10

Suit fitting was Will and Nico’s least favorite thing to do. It was time consuming and boring. They had to stand the whole time and look through all sorts of fabric that were the same color, but different shades. The disliking to it might have just been a boy thing though. Then again, Bianca also had to go try on dresses all day and didn’t enjoy that too much either.

Both the princes had been whisked away shortly after breakfast to be measured and to pick out the colors. Nico hadn’t done this in over a year and was happy about not doing it, but now he had to.

“Prince Nico, what color would you like your suit,” a man asked, holding out a book with an infinite amount of colors.

Without looking, he replied, “Black.”

“What color of black?”

“Just black.”

“Yes, I know, but what shade of black?”

Nico pointed at a random square of black, hoping to satisfy the suit maker. The man nodded, writing something down in his notes and went to speak with Will who was more cooperative. After they finished, they were walking back to their rooms.

“You seemed annoyed during the fitting,” Will pointed out.

“And you didn’t look like you were enjoying yourself too much either,” Nico said.

Will couldn’t argue with that; he was bored out of his mind and just wanted to read.

They continued walking till they heard a few people arguing in another room. Both the boys followed the commotion, finding the source. It was the room Bianca went to try on dresses. Hazel and Persephone went with her as well.

“No,” they heard Bianca shout. “I’m not wearing a dress that shows cleavage just to please a guy.”

“But, Bianca,” Phosphine said, hoping to reason with the young woman. “He’s your husband to be. You should look appealing for him.”

Will, who had been leaning against the door with Nico, blushed. Nico did as well, knowing that they shouldn’t be hearing that.

“I’m going back to my room,” Bianca told everyone in the room, heading to the door. Everyone tried to stop her, saying that she had to pick out a dress first. “I’ve tried on over a hundred today. Just pick that red one out over there.”

“But, Princess,” one of the dress people said, “that dress didn’t flatter you at all.”

“Good. I hope it keeps people away from me then.”

The door opened, pushing both the boys back before they could move. Bianca strode out of the room, noticing the boys on the ground. At first, she was wondering what they were up, but took it as something wrong.

“Were you trying to peak,” she asked, even more angry than before. “Will, you’re a pervert, and, Nico, that’s just wrong and sick.”

She stormed off, not looking at them again. The boys looked at each other, shrugged, and stood up again, making their way to their rooms. They were right down the hall from Will’s room when a maid ran up to Will.

“Prince Will,” she said, stopping to catch her breath. “I’ve come to inform you that you're late for your tea with the princess.”

“Crap,” Will said. “I forgot all about that.” He turned to Nico, in hope he had some wise words of advice for him. Unfortunately, Nico had nothing; he was as good as dead. Will gulped, knowing his life may come to an end sooner than expected. Will waved bye to Nico and went to go meet the princess.

Nico sighed, opening the door to his room. He flopped down on his bed, bored with nothing to do. After thinking for a moment a thought came to mind. He stood up, changed into some workout clothes, and picked up his sword. There was an indoor training area he could go to and brush up on his fighting skill. If anyone tried to stop him, he'd just use the excuse of practicing self-defense. The guards would most likely buy that.

He quickly made his way to the training area, no one noticing the new person walk in, let alone the prince. Nico paused, tying his long black locks into a small bun.

Nico strode in, pulling out his sword, finding an area without many people around. He swung his sword, lunging at a non-existent opponent. He practiced for what felt like hours.

Meanwhile, with Will and Bianca, tea was not so fun and was short. Every time will go to start a conversation; Bianca would glare or speak with an uninterested, sassy tone. After thirty minutes, the princess excused herself, leaving Will there all alone. He left not too long after B and went to his room. There was nothing to do, so he went to bother Nico.

“Nico,” he called out, knocking on the door. No one answered. He was about to open the door when someone stopped him.

“Sir,” a woman’s voice said behind him. He turned to see a maid passing by. “If you’re looking for Prince Nico, he’s out practicing with his sword.”

“Oh, thank you. Do you have any idea when he’ll be done?”

“Afraid not. Sorry.”

“It’s alright. Thank you.”

She nodded, continuing her way down the hall. Will went back to his room, trying to think of things he could do. In the end he started to read his book, but grew tired of it after an hour.

Is Nico done yet, he wondered.

He stood up, leaving the room to see if the other boy was back yet. He knocked again, greeted the same way he had earlier.

Maybe I find the place he’s at, Will though, setting off on a mission. He remembered seeing a hall that many groups of soldiers and guards could be seen, so he figured that was the first place to check.

The hall wasn’t as busy as it normally was. Then again it was Sunday, so many had the day off. He found a door that led to a large indoor training area. Peering inside, he saw a few people; twenty at most. He entered, hoping to stumble upon his friend. He circled the outside of the room, examining each person.

In the corner, he saw a boy with black hair pulled into a small bun. He was swinging around a black sword. His loose black tank top looked to be drenched in sweat. Will was unable to see the boy’s face because his back was turned to him, but he watched as he moved. The back of his shoulders and neck had countless beads of sweat dripping off his and his muscles flex every time he moved.

He’s hot, Will thought. He covered his mouth even though he hadn’t said it out loud, blushing red as he did. What are you thinking? He’s a guy. I’m a guy. Nothing can happen because I’m not gay.

Or maybe you are, a voice in the back of his head said in an almost teasing manner.

Will shook his head, noticing that the swordsman had moved. He was walking toward the wall where there was a water bottle, which Will assumed was his. He was about to continue his search for Nico when the boy turned in his direction.

Nico turned to see Will stand there staring at him. He immediately stopped drinking his water, wondering how long he’d been there.

“What? When? How long,” he sputtered out, coughing on the water he hadn’t swallowed.

“Less than five minutes,” Will replied, picking up a towel and handing it to him so that Nico could wipe his face. He took it, hoping Will wasn’t disgusted seeing him all sweaty.

“Well, um,” Nico said rubbing the back of his head, “I’m going to go shower now, so, uh… see you later?”

He wasn’t sure what to say. Will hadn’t made any eye contact the whole time and his cheeks were tinted red. Was he sick?

Nico brushed it off, walking back to his room. Will wandered off in another direction, hoping Nico wouldn’t notice or question. He did notice, but figured he was going to the library or something, not giving it too much thought.

***

 

Will sat in his room, thinking about what he saw earlier. He couldn’t get it off his mind. He thought that Nico was hot. Hot! This was his soon to be brother-in-law.

After having many arguments with himself in his head, Will stopped and starting to play music off his phone. He plugged it into a set a speakers he brought with, hoping to stop him from thinking more on the subject. After twenty minutes, there was a loud knock at Will door. He turned down the music, opening it for whoever was on the other side. Unfortunately, it was the last person he wanted to see right now.

“Do you mind turning the music down a little,” Nico asked, yawning as he did. “I’m trying to get some sleep.”

“What,” Will said, all of a sudden nervous. “Music? There’s no music.”

“Will, I can hear it. Wait; is that Fall Out Boy I’m hearing?”

“You’re hearing things.”

“I can see your phone from here,” Nico said, pointing at the phone.

“Night,” Will blurting, shutting the door in Nico’s face. He stood there for seconds, confused, and then went back to his room. He picks up his phone, texting Bianca.

To: Huntress  
From: Ghost King  
Hey, B, I think you should go check up on your fiancé. He seemed a bit off when I went to go talk to him just now.

He set down his phone, only to have if buzz a second later.

To: Ghost King  
From: Huntress  
First off, don’t call him that; it makes me uncomfortable. Second off, WHY SHOULD I!? YOU TWO WERE WATCHING ME CHANGE!!!

Nico said; face palming himself for a moment before replying.

To: Huntress  
From: Ghost King  
We weren’t doing that. We heard yelling so we went to see what was happening. I swear that was all.

To: Ghost King  
From: Huntress  
Oh. Why didn’t you say something?

Once again, Nico sighed, but this time because he was annoyed.

To: Huntress  
From: Ghost King  
Because you ran off before we could.

To: Ghost King  
From: Huntress  
Oh. Sorry about that. Haha. I’ll go check up on him right now, k?

Nico replied back, telling her he was going to sleep. He plugged his phone in for the night, lying on his pillow. He was exhausted after training, and had no trouble falling asleep that night.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, Will woke up with a clearer mind. He was somehow able to forget about his encounter with Nico long enough to fall asleep. When Bianca can to talk to him last night, he was doing his best to act normal, but the princess saw right through his act. She left after a five minute conversation, claiming she needed her beauty sleep.

Will made his way down to the dining hall, not really thinking about anything. He strolled into the room, taking his seat next to Bianca. He said good morning to the three girls at the table, and then dug into his breakfast. A few minutes later Nico walked in, still dressed in his pajamas and messy hair. Will smiled, finding his bedhead cute.

He looked down at his food, trying to stop his thoughts. This was the second time in less than twenty four hours he had thought something like that for Nico. He needed to stop before it was too late.

Will quickly ate his food, dismissing himself. He walked out of the room, taking his time to get back to his room. Behind him he heard people running in his direction. Their footsteps were heaving, like they weren’t even trying to keep themselves hidden.

“Will,” he turned to see his friends, Lou Ellen and Cecil, right before they tackled him into a hug. He hadn’t been able to hang out with his friends much since he arrived, and they weren’t able to eat with the royal family.

“The princess wanted us to talk to you,” Lou said. “She said that last night you were acting a little weird, so we decided to come see if you were okay.”

“Yeah,” Cecil backed her up. “Are you feeling home sick or something?”

Will bit his lip, debating if he should talk to them about what’s been on his mind lately. He knew his friends wouldn’t tell a living soul and wouldn’t judge him.

“I’ll tell you when we’re alone,” he said, waving them in the direction of his room. His friends followed behind, concerned for their friend.

***

“So, what you’re saying is that you have a crush on Prince Nico,” Lou said, hoping for some clarification.

Will rana hand through his hair, pacing around his room. Even when he was telling Lou and Cecil, it felt strange.

“I don’t know,” Will confessed. “This is the first time I’ve ever that I’ve thought those kinds of thoughts for another guy. Do you think this is just a onetime thing?”

Lou and Cecil looked at each other, shrugging in the end. At the same time, they said, “Don’t know.” Will groaned, just wanting a yes or no answer.

“Will,” Cecil said, standing up and putting a hand on his shoulder, “Lou and I don’t mind if you like boys or girls, but…”

“But,” Lou picked up where Cecil left off, “you’re engaged to the princess. It’s not even possible that you could be together, and we don’t even if Nico would be interested in you. What if he’s straight?”

Will sighed, flopping down on his bed. “It’s not like I want to get married to Bianca. If I do marry, I want it to be for love; not money or power, or some stupid stuff like that.”

“We know,” they said in unison. They wanted to be there for their friend longer, but someone had knocked on the door.

“Hey, Will,” Nico called though the door. “Persephone wants us in the ballroom to practice dancing.”

“Alright,” Will replied. “Give me a second.” He looked at him friends, pleading them to help him. They nodded saying that they’d come along.

***

Ball dancing was never Bianca's strong suit. She hated it, thinking that this wouldn’t be needed in everyday life. Even though she didn’t like it, she always managed to not step on the other person's foot. Will, on the other hand, was stepped on her foot four times by now.

“Are you normally like this when you dance,” Bianca asked out of curiosity.

“Sorry,” Will apologized sheepishly. “I’ve just been distracted lately.”

“May I ask why?”

“It’s nothing, really,” he said, hoping Bianca would let it go, which she did.

Off to the side of room, Nico was dancing with Hazel. She giggled, happy to be spending time with her brother. Bianca smiled at the sight, wishing she could see Hazel this happy all the time. It’s not like she wasn’t happy, but she seemed even brighter when Nico was around. Will caught her staring at her siblings, and couldn’t help but smile as well. It was times like this he wish he had a brother or sister.

“Focus you two,” Persephone scolded when she noticed they stopped dancing. They apologized and continued their dance.

Cecil and Lou were there as well, brushing up on their skills even though they didn’t need to. They stopped dancing to watch Nico and with Hazel, finding it adorable.

Cecil walking over to the young princess, offering out a hand. “Mind if I cut in, Princess Hazel?”

Hazel laughed and took his hand, dancing with the joyful little girl. Nico stood back, watching the scene unfold. A smile made its way to his face as he watched his sister danced. He looked up at his other sister dancing with Will. Will had been looking at him, but snapped his head back to Bianca when Nico looked up.

“Ow! Will,” Bianca shouted again, causing Will to jump. “That’s the seventh time you’ve stepped on my foot.”

“Sorry, Bianca,” his face turned red in embarrassment.

Bianca sighed, letting it go before lifting up her skirt and kicking off the shoe on her foot. It was throbbing ed. Bianca grimaced at the sight and Persephone gasped.

“I’ll go get a medic,” she said, rushing out of the room.

“No,” Will shouted after her. She turned back around, facing the young man. “Get a bag of ice, a roll of bandages, and some healing cream. I can handle this.”

Persephone nodded, running off again. Meanwhile, Will picked Bianca up and set her down on a chair. Nico brought over another chair and propped her foot up.

“I’m so sorry,” Will said again.

“How did you know what to do,” Nico asked.

“I’ve read a lot of medical books and stuff. When I was little, I wanted to be a doctor,” Will informed him, finding his childish dream silly.

“That’s cool,” Nico admitted. “I’d be useless in a situation like this.”

“I doubt that.”

Persephone came back a few minutes later with everything Will had told her to get. Will took the supplies, rubbing Bianca’s foot with the cream and then wrapped it up. Afterwards, he told her to keep a bag of ice on it for half an hour. She nodded, allowing Nico to help her up to her room. Persephone dismissed everyone, telling them to rest up before dinner.

***

Nico set Bianca down on her bed, taking a pillow and placing it under her injured foot. Nico still couldn’t believe that Will was reckless enough to step on her foot. He sat next to Bianca once she was comfortable.

“Will seemed distracted by something,” Nico said.

Bianca smirked. “More like someone.”

“Like who,” Nico asked in a confused tone, completely unaware that Will had been checking him out. “Who could distract him?”

“Like you.”

Nico turned bright red and laughed in disbelief. “What?”

“He was looking at you the whole time,” her tone then became more teasing and mocking like. “With those sparkling blue eyes of his, and he smiled like he only saw you.”

“Knock it off, B,” Nico blushed, looking away as he gently shoved her. She snickered and continued. Nico rolled his eyes, standing up from the bed. “Bye, Bianca.”

“Wait, no,” she called out through her laughter. “Nico, I was only joking.”

Nico shut the door behind him, heading back to his room. He shook his head, ignoring his sister’s fantasy. There was no way Will could like him, right? He was, after all, engaged to her and was most likely straight. He sighed; pushing the idea’s out of his head and opened his door. Nico flopped down on his bed.

Underneath him, someone shrieked. His eyes widened, and he pulled away the covers. There, under the sheets, laid Hazel holding a book and a flashlight by her side. Her frizzy, curly hair was a mess in her face as she looked up at him.

“Hazel, what are you doing in here? Aren’t you supposed to be taking a nap?”

“Well, yeah, but I faked it and waited for Miss Diaz to leave the room so I could sneak in here.”

“Why,” Nico asked her. “What about when Miss Diaz comes to check up on you? She’ll be worried.”

Hazel looked down at the book with guilt. “I miss you, Nico. I just wanted to be in here with you.”

Nico frowned, pulling Hazel into a hug. She hugged back, lying on his chest. He picked up the book, realizing that it was one of the books that were under his bed. He wondered why Hazel would be looking at it; the book was one of the ones with more pictures, but the words were still too hard for the younger girl to understand.

“Have you been the one reading the books under my bed?”

Hazel nodded, not looking up. She was afraid Nico would be mad at her. Instead, he just patted her head, smiling down at her.

“That’s okay. I don’t mind. I’ll let you take a nap in here, okay?”

“Okay,” Hazel mumbled into his chest. It was silent for a few minutes. Nico had assumed Hazel was asleep by now, but she suddenly spoke up, lifting her head. “Nico,” she said in a sad voice, “are you going to leave again?”

Nico frowned. “Why are you asking me that? Of course not.”

Hazel burst into tears. “But you are. I know you are. Every time I see you, you have to leave again and it makes me sad. I want you to stay here with me and Bianca and be happy. Please, Nico, don’t leave.” She threw her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. Nico held back, realizing how hard it was for her.

Nico tried not to cry, but a few tears slipped out. “Don’t worry. Your big brother will allows be here for you, okay, Little Gem?” He smiled, wiping away Hazel’s tears. She giggled when he used her nickname.

“Okay, Ghost King.”

They wiped their tears away, laying back down. Hazel fell asleep, and Nico did the same.

***

There was a knock at Bianca’s door. Luckily, her hour of resting her foot was over, so she could open the door by herself. When she opened it, she saw Hazel’s nanny, Miss Diaz. She knew immediately that Hazel wasn’t in her room.

“Hello, princess. Do you have any idea where your sister ran off to? She seems to have run off again.”

Bianca smiled kindly. “She seems to do that a lot, doesn’t she? She’s in Nico’s room playing. If I were you, I’d be taking this time to relax.”

“Thank you, princess. I will.”

Bianca watched as Miss Diaz walked away before checking to make sure her assumption was right. She slowly opened the door, peering in. The white curtains were drawn shut, not allow much light in, but enough to see the bed. Just as she had thought, Hazel was in here with Nico, but they were both asleep on the bed.

Bianca smiled, pulling out her phone to capture the moment. Hazel was lying on Nico’s chest, her hair covering part of his face. Just as she was about to take the photo, Will called her name from down the hall.

“Shh,” Bianca hiss back. Will raised his hands in defense, approaching quietly.

“What’s going on,” he whispered. Bianca pointed at her siblings, snapping the picture. Will smiled, thinking of the same idea. They giggled, looking through the pictures they had taken.

“Princess Bianca, there you are,” Thanatos said as we ran over to them. Bianca shut the door to Nico’s room, leaving her brother and sister to sleep. “Your father wanted to inform you that Prince Percy and both Grace’s will be arriving with Lady Annabeth and Miss Piper.”

“Oh, alright,” Bianca said, a little shocked that they’d show up so early. “When will they be here?”

Thanatos looked at his watch, checking the time. “Sometime around three to three-thirty. So about an hour and a half at most.”

Bianca smiled, knowing she was going to be seeing her cousins, and, for the first time, their girlfriends. Her smile widened when she realized this meant she was going to be seeing her best friend for the first time in eight months. Upon realizing the thought, she took off to her room to change out of her dress, and prepared to see her family members.


	12. Chapter 12

Will waited with Bianca in the nearest sitting room near the doors of the palace. Bianca was jumping around the rooms wearing a simple outfit; a white T-shirt, jeans, and an old jacket. A smile stretched across her face every time she looked out the window toward the palace gates.

“So,” Will said, hoping he get the princess to sit down, “care to tell me a little about your cousins?”

Bianca giggled, flopping into one of the chairs. “Sure. Percy Jackson, as you may or may not know, is the son of King Poseidon, so he’ll be at the party/ball to represent for his kingdom. Um, he’s my age, black hair, sea-green eyes and loves the ocean and stuff. He’s got a girlfriend named Annabeth Chase who’s the daughter of Lady Athena. My other cousins that are showing up are Jason and Thalia Grace who are both kids of King Zeus, but they look completely different. Jason’s a blonde tall guy, same age as you, and Thalia has more of a punk rock look.”

“Ah,” Will replied. “What about the other person Thanatos mentioned? Piper?”

“Oh, daughter of the famous Tristan McLean. She’s Jason’s girlfriend.”

Will opened his mouth to say more, but there was a loud noise outside. They both turned their heads to see the gates opening and two carriages pulling up. Bianca recognized the royal crests instantly and took off out of the room. Will ran after her, seeing her near the entrance of the palace.

Bianca stood on the steps of palace, waiting for coach to open the carriages up. They opened the carriage with sky crest first, letting the Grace’s out. Jason was first, then Thalia. She noticed Bianca right away. Bianca charged at her best friend, jumping into her arms.

“It’s been eight months, B,” Thalia pointed out, catching the girl in her arms. “How have you been? Shooting those arrows, I assume?”

“Yes, I love the bow you got me for my birthday last year; it’s amazing, but I’m afraid it’s going to break any day down.”

Behind them, Jason cleared his throat, gaining the girls attention. Bianca whirled around, seeing her younger cousin.

“Jason, you’ve grown. Again.”

Jason chuckled, pulling her in for a hug. “Hey, B.”

Bianca pulled back, getting a better look at him. She gasped in surprise noticing the new accessory on his face. “When did you get glasses?”

Jason smiled. “About a month ago. They’ve taken some time to get used to.”

Bianca smiled back. “That’s good. Where’s Piper? I want to meet her.”

“Her dad just got back from set and decided to go visit before coming here. She should be here in two days or so.”

The other carriage, the one with a trident, opened. A curly blonde haired girl stepped out, then a boy haired. The black haired boy turned, his sea green eyes locking with Bianca’s. They both smiled, happy to be seeing each other for the first time in a few months.

“Hey, Bianca,” Percy said, pulling her in for hug. She hugged back, but pulled away and focused her attention one the girl that had come with him. Percy walked back over to her, taking her hand. “Bianca, this is my girlfriend, Lady Annabeth. Annabeth, this is my cousin, Princess Bianca.”

“It’s nice to meet you, your highness,” Annabeth greeted, holding out her hand for a shake.

“You as well, but you can call my Bianca.”

She led them inside while the servants took their luggage to their rooms. Another servant and set up tea in the sitting room where Bianca and Will had waited earlier that day. Bianca caught up with her cousin and got to know a little bit about Annabeth. Right before dinner, a butler had come in and suggests they make themselves presentable for the king and queen. He shown the other’s their rooms, but Jason stayed back, needing to talk to Bianca.

“I’ll show him where he’ll be staying,” Bianca told the man, dismissing himself. She then turned to Jason. “What is it?”

Jason let Bianca lead him down the halls to his room as they talked. “Was Nico able to come?”

Bianca nodded. “He was in his room taking a nap with Hazel. That’s why they weren’t down here to greet you.”

“Alright. Are he and your dad getting along?”

“No, but I wish they would. It would make everything… easier. You know?”

Jason nodded in agreement. He remembered the day Nico came to stay at his home after he was thrown out. When Nico had finally opened up to him, he was hesitant at first, but poured everything out. Jason remembered it like it was yesterday.

Down the hall where Jason's room was, there was a loud crash. Jason and Bianca ran down the hall toward the noise. Before they could turn the last corner, someone ran out and into them, all three of them falling over.

“Sorry,” the person said, standing up and running away again. “Keep him off my trail, would you, B?”

Bianca looked back at the boy, realizing it was Nico. Another set of steps came running in their direction, and a moment later Percy was in view. Bianca stopped him before he could go any further.

“I was just trying to give him a hug,” Percy defended innocently.

Annabeth, who had suddenly appeared, said, “You should try tackling people into a hug and screaming ‘Oh, my cute, little cousin! It’s been so long!’”

Bianca sighed, now understanding why Nico was panicking to get away. He didn’t like too much physical contact, and Percy still didn’t know about the crush thing. He knew about Nico being gay but not how he figured it out.

“Perc, go back to your room and get ready for dinner,” Bianca told him sternly.

“But--”

“Now.”

Percy hung his head and did as he was told. Annabeth and Jason followed in suit, all of them knowing they needed to look presentable. Bianca went to go change as well, knowing her father would not approve of her current attire.

***

Everyone sat at the dining table eating. King Hades and Nico were both there as well, but didn’t make any eye contact and avoided talking to each other at all cost. Most the talking was done by their three newest guest, Percy, Annabeth, and Jason. Persephone was the one trying to start most of the conversations and trying to get Nico to speak as well.

“So, Nico, what have you been up to,” Jason asked. They hadn’t talked to one another for almost two weeks and were curious what Nico had been doing.

“Nothing much,” Nico replied, picking at his mashed potatoes.

“That’s not true,” Persephone said, encouraging him talk. “Nico’s been practicing with his sword lately.”

“And playing with me,” Hazel added happily.

“Really,” Percy started. Nico entirely whined, not wanting to hear what he had to say. “Maybe we see whose better some time. Me or you?”

“And me,” Jason said. “I can use a sword too.”

“Hey, maybe Bianca and I can do an archery contest too. That seems like a challenge,” Thalia suggested.

Bianca smirked. “You’re one.”

“Enough, children,” the king said, taking a sip of his wine. “Let’s not talk of weapons or violence at the table.”

Everyone mumbled a ‘yes, sir’ and returned to eating. The conversation that were held after that didn’t involve Nico too much, If he was asked a question, he’d just reply his a basic answer like yes or no. Will noticed how Nico was acting. He couldn’t tell if it was boredom, or something else.

“May I be excused,” Nico asked after some time. The queen nodded, and Nico left the room. Will waited five minutes or so before doing the same.

Five minutes later Will was in front of Nico’s door. Before he could stop himself, he knocked on the door. Nico opened the door a second later.

“Hey,” Nico said, waiting for Will to do something.

Will took notice of his appearance. He had already taken off his tie and jacket, and his shirt was already untucked from his pants. The two top buttons to his shirt were undone, revealing a little bit of his chest. Will tried to ignore it the best he could and made eye contact.

“I’m just checking up on you to make sure you were alright. You didn’t look too happy at the table.”

“I’m fine. It’s just that I haven’t seen my cousins can be a lot to handle. Especially after a nap.”

“Yeah,” Will said, hiding his blush. He remembered how cute he looked while he was sleep. It was even cuter that he had his arms wrapped around Hazel like he was protecting her. He made a mental note to make sure Nico never found those pictures on his phone.

“You can come in if you want. At least until Jason and Percy show up.”

“Uh, o-okay,” Will stuttered, acting like he hadn’t. He was about to enter when they heard footsteps. Will and Nico turned to see both Jason and Percy running towards them with their arms full of snacks.

“Hey,” Percy huffed. “Sorry it took so long. We went to get snacks.”

“Its fine,” Nico told him. “Go set in there on the table.” He let Jason and Percy pass him, waving by to Will before shutting the door.

Nico walked over to where Percy and Jason were sitting on the couch. They had already opened up a bag of cheesy Doritos and started up the Wii. Percy was looking through all the games on the shelf, trying to pick the perfect one for them to play. In the end, they decided on Mario Kart. Percy was in the lead and had won almost every round.

“Take that, fish boy,” Jason shouted at Percy when he got a flying blue shell. Percy growled in frustration as Jason passed him. They battled it out for a while, but right before Jason could cross the finish line for the third time, Percy knocked the controller out of his hand.

“Ha! Take that, Sparky,” Percy retorted. Nico tried to hold back a smirk while rolling his eyes.

The scoreboard popped up at the end. Percy was in first, Jason was in second, and Nico was in sixth. In Nico’s defense, he was a bit rusty.

“Okay,” Jason said, putting his controller on the table. “Let’s take a break. What have you been up to Nico? Got a boyfriend yet?”

“No.”

“Any improvement with your dad,” Percy asked.

“None. We almost got in a fight, but B stopped it before it could start. Ever since I got here, it’s mostly been the silent treatment from him.”

“What are you going to do after the party Saturday,” Jason wondered. “Is there any real plan?”

Nico sighed. His sister's engagement party was in six days. After that he’d have to leave and wasn’t going to be welcomed back home again; well, at least for a while, anyway. The only plan he had was to go back to his little apartment and start working again. He knew that if he stayed there he wouldn’t see Bianca or Hazel as much, but there was nothing else to do. He could move to the Sun Kingdom in hopes that Bianca would visit him, but that would require money that he didn’t have.

“Not a clue,” Nico replied. “But I know that I’ll be enjoying myself as much as possible. I heard the wine here is good, so I might try to smuggle some home.”

Percy and Jason smirked, wanting to help him with it. They talked more and more, beginning to catch up from the last time they saw each other.

Apparently, Jason met his girlfriend Piper about four months ago on a bus. Jason said he was trying to throw off his bodyguard by hopping on a bus and the only seat was next to what he claimed was the most beautiful girl in the world. They had been talking for a few minutes when Jason’s bodyguard came onto the bus to find him, so Piper tried to help him. She gave him her hat and sunglasses to wear and held his hand, trying to make it look like they were a couple. Then someone who was getting on recognized Piper from a magazine that she was in with her dad. She and Jason ran off the bus, running away from her dad’s fans as well as Jason’s bodyguard who had found him. When they had finally outrun everyone, they exchanged numbers and departed ways. They started dating not long after that.

“Can’t wait to meet her,” Nico said, happy for his cousin.

Percy hadn’t done too much. He talked about Annabeth a little. She had applied to college even though she didn’t need to with her social status. Percy was going to be joining her in the fall.

Around midnight, Jason and Percy left his room, leaving him to clean up and go to sleep. Nico was happy that he got to talk to him cousins and had started to wish that it could always be like that. Then the sad reality hit him that it could never be like that, or, at least, there was a small chance, anyway.


	13. Chapter 13

Saturday, the day of the ball, had finally arrived. The palace was in chaos. People were running around, trying to put the final preparations of things, and the kitchens were as busy as ever. Other servants were cleaning the guest rooms for the third time that week, wanting to please the higher ups that would be staying the night.

Meanwhile, the guest that had already shown up were getting ready. Most the girls had gathered in Bianca’s room to prepare. Queen Persephone was in there as well, making sure everyone was on task and doing what they should be.

The boys, on the other hand, were able to mess around for awhile before the queen checked up on them. When she walked into Nico’s room and saw all four of the boys playing games, she scolded them, telling them they needed to get ready. They did as they were told because they didn’t want to upset the queen more than she was already.

When the party started, most the guest were in the ball room waiting to the royal families to be announced. The first people to be introduced were the prince’s and princess’s from other kingdoms and their dates. Then King Hades and Queen Persephone came down the stairs, calling everyone’s attention to them. The next to come down was Hazel, wearing a beautiful red and golden dress. Nico came down next in a black tuxedo with red tie. Bianca was last one to come down, causing everyone to gasp as her dress. The dress was long and red with shimmering golden sparkles the faded out near the waist.

The royal family stood next to one another other. The kids smiled as the king and queen welcomed everyone, wishing them to all have a good time. Once they had finished talking, they all went to talk to the guest. Many people went to talk to Nico, all of them happy to see his after so long. 

“My, Prince, Nico, you’ve grown,” one woman pointed out, hugging him in the process. Nico didn’t recognize the person at all.

“What have you been up to young boy? Running around chasing skirts,” a man teased before talking to someone else. Nico hated when people teased him like that. If only they knew he prefered men.

After an hour or so of talking to guest, he went to the long table that was set out with snacks and drinks. He picked up a glass of wine, taking a sip of it. As he was in the middle of swoling it, someone came up behind him, placing their hand on his shoulder roughly. Nico jumped, seeing it was Jason.

“What are you doing,” he asked.

Nico coughed on his drink. “Choking, thanks to you.”

“Sorry. Piper sent me over her to set her some punch. When was the last time you checked up on your sisters?”

Nico mentally facepalmed himself. Bianca andhim were supposed to take turns watching Hazel till they made the announcement. Then Hazel was with Nico the rest of the time.

Setting his glass down, Nico tried to make his way through the crowd of people to find his sisters. About five minutes into his search, a pair of small arms wrapped around his waist. HE already knew it was Hazel due to all the giggles he was hearing. A few seconds later, Bianca appeared, already looking tired from the people she had to talk to.

“There you are,” Bianca said. Nico was unsure if she was talking him or to Hazel, but didn’t say anything. “Dad’s about call everyone to dinner and make the announcement. Let's go sit now.”

This was the last thing Nico wanted to do. When it was time for dinner, that meant that he was going to be forced to sit next to his father because of the way their seats were arranged. The king and queen sat in the middle, with the daughters of the queen, or, in this case, step daughters, were sat to the right of the queen and the sons to the left of the king. Nico, being the only son of Hades, would have to sit next to him, both of them putting on a show. Luckily for both of them, it wasn’t required for them to speak to one another.

When everyone was seated, the king gave another speech, thanking everyone for coming. Dinner was then served, the whole room filling with loud chatter. Old friends and family reuniting, new relationships being built, and, of course, negotiations being made. After the main meal, before dessert was being brought out, King Hades stood and began his announcement.

“Now, my guest,” the room quieted, “the real reason for this gather is for a very important announcement concerning my eldest daughter, Princess Bianca di Angelo.” Bianca stood up when her father said her name. “She is betrothed to Prince Will Solace, the son of King Apollo. I have brought you all here to celebrate this joyous occasion and to congratulate my daughter and her fiance.” The whole room burst into cheers and claps. Some even whistled. “Now, for dessert and then some dancing.”

Cake and ice cream was then bought out to everyone in the room. People began their conversations again, but this time it was more about Will and Bianca. Some were happy for them, and others were envious of the couple, wanting to be engaged to the prince or princess. After another half an hour of dining, it was time for the dance. 

Bianca and Will stood in the middle of the dance floor. Will kissed the princess's hand, leading her into a dance as the music started. Slowly, many other pairs of people joined in. Nico would see his cousins dancing with their dates. Other people, such as Thalia, stood of to the side, making conversations while watching the dance, or sipping on their drinks.

Hazel ran over to Nico, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Without saying a word, Nico knew she wanted to dance with him. He jokingly rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Just this once, princess.”

Hazel giggled, leading him over to outer part of the dance floor. Since Hazel was so young, she didn’t know how to properly dance, and there was no chance Nico would be able to guide her. He let her take to lead, dancing the way she wanted to.

The bystanders near by found the two of them adorable, all of them watching with smiles on their face. Some of them had even pulled out their phones to record them.

When the dance ended, Bianca and Will had to stand at the front of the room while everyone came to congratulate them individually. Bianca, who had been dreading this moment all night, put on a fake smile, thanking everyone who spoke to her. In all honesty, she just wanted to go to her room and sleep. Will didn’t want to be there either. He just wanted to finish the rest of his book that he’d been reading the past few days.

Right before ten o’clock, Thalia began to walk over to Bianca with a drink for her as well as another guest. The guest was a woman. A tall and beautiful woman that Thalia knew quite well and had known about this engagement as soon as it happened.

Thalia now stood in front of her friend and handed her the glass. Bianca took it gratefully, happy that Thalia was were to help her out some how. Will, now seeing the woman Thalia brought with her, smiled.

“Hello, Will,” the woman greeted, pushing back her short black hair.

“Hey, Aunt Artemis,” Will said back.

“Bianca, I want you to meet Lady Artemis, the brother of King Apollo.”

Bianca shook hands with Lady Artemis. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasures all mine, and, if you don’t mind, please just call me Artemis,” she requested politely. Bianca nodded, listening to what she was told. “Now, my brother did tell me about this little arrangement before it was official. I told him not to do it, but, at last, he did, as you can tell. Luckily, Thalia here told me a little about you. She said that you were in to archery, as am I. So…”

Artemis waved a servant over from the side. He was holding a silver bow in one hand and in the other was quiver with ten arrows to match the bow. Artemis took them, then handed them to the young princess. Bianca’s mouth dropped, lost for words.

“Oh my gods… I… Thank you, Artemis! I love it already,” Bianca somehow sputtered out. “I’ll use it the first chance I get.”

Artemis chuckled. “I hope so. Have a lovely evening, Bianca.”

Lady Artemis walked off, going to speak to other. Thalia followed shortly after her, claiming that she had a business proposition for her.

Bianca turned to Will saying, “I think your aunt is my favorite member of your family.”

Will laughed. “You haven’t met my mother yet.”

The night continued on, no one knowing what was about to happen at the stroke of midnight.

***

Eleven fifty was the time. Nico stood beside his father once again, but this would be the last time that this would happen. Hopefully, Nico thought.

The males of the family, Hades, Nico, and now Will, were to the left of the ballroom doors and the girls on the other side. At midnight, Hades was going to thank everyone for coming, and then all the guest would leave.

Nico glanced down at his watch. Only eight more minutes, then he could go to sleep. Hades, who was also wanting to be in bed, decided he’d end the party early. Nico wasn't really listening what his dad was saying. He looked out over the crowd of fancey dresses and well dressed men. There was nothing unusual about it, but something caught his eye.

There was a balcony lining the upper part of the ballroom near the grand stairs. Right now there should have only been a few guest and guards up there. In the shadows behind a statue was a person. Who ever it was, wasn’t dressed like someone who was supposed to be there. Nico watched as he crept out of the shadows toward the railing. The person then reaching down to their waist and pulled out something. The light reflected off of it and it clicked in Nico’s mind: the person was holding a weapon and it was aimed at someone in the room.

“Look out,” Nico shouted, pointing at the person right before they threw the weapon, but, by then it was too late. The dagger went sailing through the air.

Bianca screamed, letting the dagger imbed itself in the wooden door behind her. Hades was giving out orders left and right. The guest broke into screams, causing lots of chaos. Personene had picked up Hazel and grabbed Bianca’s hand, pulling them toward the safe room, showing the way to everyone else as well. Nico, on the other hand, was pushing his way through the oncoming crowd toward the stairs. Will noticed and followed him, hoping he could try to get Nico to listen to him.

Nico ran up the stairs to the decorative sword on the wall. No one knew it, but Nico had switched it out with a real one. He was paranoid that something bad would happen tonight, and he was right. 

Will aught up, grabbing his arm. “What are you doing?”

“Going after that bastard,” Nico snarled, yanking his arm out of his grasp. “Now, get out of my way.”

“It dangerous. You shouldn’t be trying to do this. Not alone, anyway.”

Nico stayed quiet for a moment, his eyebrows frowned, then asked, “Are you offering to come along?”

Will’s eyes widened and he sighed in disbelief. “No, I was suggesting you take a guard with you.”

Nico rolled his eyes, taking off down the hall where the assassin had run off to. Will, not knowing what else to do, followed him. 

As they ran, Will noticed that they hardly passed any guards and the few they did pass weren’t too concerned that two boys, two princes, in fact, were headed straight for danger. Will asked Nico about it. In return, all he got was a head shake.

“I swear, the security around here is the worst. They all act like brainless zombies.”

At the end of the corridair they were running through, they found the assassin at a dead end. It was clearly a man not much older than Will or Nico. From what they could see, a few pale strands of hair poked out from under their hood and their eyes were blue, though they were clouded with hate. 

“You,” Nico said loudly in a demanding tone. “Who are you and did you try to kill the princess?”

The boy’s eyes narrowed and he pulled out another dagger. Will’s eyes widened, not moving. Nico noticed the stillness of Will and shoved him out of the way.

The dagger past between them, hitting the floor.

The boy charged at Nico, seeing him at the bigger threat. This knocked Will out of his trance, and he went to pick up the dagger that was thrown at him.

Nico swung his sword, knocking the weapon out his opponent's hand. He noticed he still had at least a dozen more knives on him, so he would either have wait for the boy to run out or end this quickly.

Before the boy could snatch another knife from his waist, Nico nicked his hand. He tossed his sword behind himself and tackled the boy, landing on top of him. Nico pinned his hands above his head, gesturing his head in the direction of his sword for Will. Will understood, picking it up and pointing it at the assassin.

“Time to see who you really are,” Nico hissed, ripping off the cloth that covered his face. Instead of look that the person who was revealing his identity, the boy looked at Will.

Will’s eyes widened and he nearly dropped the sword in his hands. Nico noticed Will’s body gesture change out of the corner of his eye. 

“You know this guy?”

Will nodded, gulping before replying. “It-- it’s my cousin, Count Octavian.”

“What,” Nico wondered out loud, losing his grip by accident.

Octavian took this opportunity, acting quickly. He punched right as hard as he could across the face, knocking the younger boy off him. He then reached to his waist, pulling out one of his daggers. Will kicked the weapon out of his hand before he could do any damage and lifted Nico off the ground, pulling him back down the way they came.

“We’re gonna have to fight at some point,” Nico warned Will. “He’s catching.”

“I know,” Will snapped. “I Think if we keep running like we are now then we can run him into some guards.”

“Hopefully,” Nico agreed, though he was running out of breath. They’d need to stop at some point before he ran out of energy.

Will turned the corner, leading them into a dead end. They both cursed under their breath. They turned around, seeing Octavian gaining on them. Both the boys began to back further away, knowing the end was near. Nico closed his eyes, waiting for the impact to hit him. Will, without realizing it, reached out and grasped Nico hand tightly, holding on for dear life. 

Will knew they needed a miracle to get out of this, and, as if fate were on their side, a miracle happened. The sound of footsteps were heard down the hall. 

Octavian hadn’t planned for this. He made a panicked decision, throwing the knife at the dark haired prince, embedding it in his left shoulder. Nico cried out in pain, his hand immediately going to grab his wound. Will, who was awaiting death just moments before, was now focused on his friend, forgettin all about Octavian.

“Nico!” 

Will turned to see Bianca running toward them, her new bow in hand and hear arrows over her shoulder. Four guards were behind her.

“You two,” Will pointy, “go get me bandages, a few towels, and rubbing alcohol. And you two go after the assassin.” He pointed to where he had seen his cousin run before he went to Nico. All four of them nodded, listening to prince.

Bianca fell to the ground beside her brother. “Nico, you idiot. Why did you have to go running off?” She had tears streaming down her face. “I’m just glad you’re not dead.”

Nico managed a weak smile. “Thanks, B. Is Hazel okay?”

Her mood turned to anger and she started shouting at him in another language, still crying. Will realize it as Italian. 

The guards finally returned with the items Will had requested. He gently lowered Nico onto his back, looking at the guards. 

“Now I needed you to hold him down.”

“Wait, Will, what are you doing,” Bianca asked, worried. Nico was concerned too, but the pain in his arm was a bigger concern.

“B, take one of those towels and be ready to press down on the wound. Nico, think of something. Preferably happy, if you don’t mind.”

“Okay,” Nico hissed through his gritted teeth. Will wrapped his fingers firmly around the hilt, waiting to Nico to begin his so called happy thought. “The second I get my hands on that bastard Octavian, I’m gonna shove one those damn daggers up his-- AAAAHHHH!”

Will quickly pulled the dagger out of his shoulders, causing Nico to thrash around. The guards held him down as Bianca pressed the clean towel over the stab wound.

“Okay, what now,” she asked after a moment.

“Keep doing what you’re doing. We have to wait for it to stop bleeding first.”

Bianca nodded, using one of her hands to brush the hair out of Nico’s face. Tears were falling from his eyes, upsetting Will and Bianca. Will held one of his hands, giving it an encouraging squeeze. Bianca stroked his head, beginning to sing an old lullaby to him. He recognized it instantly, crying even more.

“Close your eyes,  
I know what you see,  
The darkness is high,  
And you’re in ten feet deep,”

Will listened to the words as it slowly calmed Nico down. His quiet sobs soon became silent and he was asleep. Bianca was still softly singing the song, but began to trail off once her brother was uncouthness.

“Okay, you can take the towel off,” Will informed Bianca, reaching for a towel and the rubbing alcohol. He began to dab the wound. Nico flinched in his sleep, but didn’t wake up. After a new minutes of silence, Will asked, “Where did you learn that song?”

Bianca smiled, a hint of sadness in it. “It was a lullaby your mother would sing to us when we were scared or hurt. She often sang us to sleep with it,” she paused, sighing. “Nico hasn’t heard it in years.”

“Why’s that?”

“That’s for him to say, not me.”

They didn’t speak the rest of the time as Will cleaned up nico’s shoulder. Once he was all patched up, Will picked him up, allowing Bianca to show him to the safe room.


	14. Chapter 14

Nico lay asleep on a bed in the safe room. There was a mini hospital wing where a professional doctor was attending to him. Though, when the doctor checked it out, he congratulated Will on his work; if it weren’t for him, Nico might have been in really bad shape.

Bianca and Hazel stayed by Nico’s bedside until Persephone told them to go to bed. On her way out, she took a long, sad look at Nico, wishing he hadn’t been hurt.

“Is papa going to see Nico?” Hazel asked Bianca instead of trying to sleep.

Bianca reached out, grabbing her hand. The beds were close, making it easy to touch Hazel’s small hand. “I hope so. Now, get some sleep, okay?”

“Okay,” Hazel whispered faintly, closing her eyes.

Bianca lay on her back, wondering the same thing as Hazel had been. Would their father show any sympathy to Nico? He was, after all, his son even if they didn’t always get along. She had her doubts, but she knew in the end her father would see him. He had to.

***

It was an early hour of the morning. All the people in the safe room were asleep. Well, everyone but King Hades. He had been up the whole time, giving out orders to everyone. He also had to contact Will’s parents to ensure their son was safe and to notify them who the assassin was. Needless to say, when the king and queen of the Sun Kingdom found out that the assassin was Octavian they felt shocked and betrayed.

Hades looked down at his watch, seeing the time was four in the morning. He let out a tired sigh, rubbing his face. He then reached for his coffee, gulping down the last her sips. Afterwards, he stood up, leaving the small office.

Once Hades was out the room, he checked around, making sure everyone was asleep. After he was completely sure, he silently opened the door to the small infirmary where his son rested. No one else was in there and the other beds were unoccupied.

Hades, taking a good look at Nico, approached his bed. He could see Nico shivering slightly under his blankets and his left arm was in a cast, try to prevent him from moving his shoulder too much. Hades crossed the room to a closet in the back, pulling out a white blanket and put it over Nico’s sleeping body. He checked, making sure he was warm, then stood next to the bed.

The king reached out and gently held Nico’s right hand and pushed the hair out of his face.

Nico awoke the second he felt someone touching him, fearing it was Octavian, though the touch was a caring one, meaning to bring no harm to him. As the person had his hand, he couldn’t help but feel as though he’d felt someone hold him like this before. The rough, warm calloused hands felt familiar. He thought of all the possible people it could be, but only one stood out.

It was his father standing there, and, as hard as it for Nico to believe, he cared.

Nico kept his eyes closed; waiting till the person wasn’t looking before coming to a conclusion. He didn’t want to assume it was his father and get his hopes up. He doubted his father would care if he was hurt.

The person bend down, kissing his forehead. It was another moment before he felt the hand over his give him a gentle squeeze and they began to walk away.

Nico opened his eyes, seeing that was indeed his father. His back was turned to him and he didn’t look behind him as he shut the door. Without realizing it, tears had begun to fall from his eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop them.

***

The following morning, Bianca went to see Nico as soon as she awoke. When she arrived to infirmary, she saw her brother sitting up on the bed, staring blankly at the wall. He looked at the door when he heard Bianca come in.

“Hey, Nico,” she said, coming to sit in the chair beside his bed. “How did you sleep?”

“Fine,” he answered, though that was a lie. He hadn't gone back asleep since his father came in. He was afraid if he fell asleep that it would have been a dream. “What’s dad going to do about the assassin thing?”

Bianca mentally braced herself for Nico’s reaction. “Proceed as planned. I’ll be leaving in three days to go with Will instead of today and he’s upping security again.” Nico gestured for her to go on, but that was all.

“And?”

“And that’s it. Nothing else.”

Nico grew anger, knowing his father could do more. “What about Hazel? What about everyone else?”

Bianca shrugged.” Most the guest already left.”

“But it’s not even ten.”

She shrugged again, having nothing else to say. Nico, now furious, leaped off his bed and walked out the door. Bianca followed, asking where he was going.

“Where do you think? I’m going to speak to dad.”

Before Bianca could stop him, Nico opened the door to his dad’s office. The king was sitting behind his desk, speaking to his adviser, Thanatos. They were in the middle of a discussion when the door slammed open, Nico walking in. Seconds later Bianca entered, as well as Will when he heard the noise.

“What’s going on?” Will asked Bianca, shutting the door. Before she could answer, Nico started his rant.

“So that’s all you’re going to do? Do the same stupid thing as last time? Cause if you haven’t noticed, it didn’t work out too well. And what about Hazel? Are you just going to get her a bunch of bodyguards? The guards that are here at the palace suck!”

Nico continued on for a few more minutes. Hades tried to interrupt a few times, but he was constantly cut off.

“Enough!” the king shouted, slamming him hand on the desk. Nico silenced himself, a little scared. “There’s nothing else I can do, so I suggest you stop trying to argue with me. And, if I remember correctly, it’s the day after the party. You should have taken off by now.”

Nico, who didn’t think he could feel this anger, was about to blow. Not only was angry now, he was sad that his father would just throw him out after last night. Bianca, who stood in the back, was now angry as well. Will, on the other hand, was slightly confused. Where should Nico be?

“Father,” Bianca said, being as gentle as possible putting Nico behind her. The tone in her voice was unmistakable. She wasn’t happy. “Nico was injured last night and you expect him just to leave, unattended?”

“I had asked him to leave after you left with Will.”

“Well, I’m not leaving for another three days, now am I?” she pointed out. “And you should know that I will not be leaving Hazel here.” Her father tried to stop her, but she raised a hand, stopping him before he could start. “No. Without me or Nico here, Hazel will be lonely. Once I’m married to Will, we both know I’ll be at his palace. Nico is hardly ever here and you know why. Now we also have an assassin who had gotten onto palace grounds at least twice, so I think that taking Hazel with me to Will’s is the best thing to do. They have better security and she won’t be lonely.”

Hades was silent, thinking it over. Eventually, he said, “No. First, I’d need to run it by Persephone, make sure she’s okay with it, and then ask Apollo if he’d mind.”

“Actually,” Will peeped. “My mother said that you’re all welcomed to stay for the time being. She thinks it’d be better for all us kids to be there.”

They all looked back at Hades, staring at him. “Alight,” he gave in. “Fine. Hazel can go.”

“Good,” Bianca said, her anger now gone. “Now, for my second request.”

“Second request?” Hades asked. Will and Nico thought the same thing.

“I want to bring Nico as well. I hear the Sun Kingdom has some of the best doctor who would be able to heal him quicker than anyone here. And, once he’s healed, I’d like him to become my personal guard until the threat of an assassin is gone.”

Everyone in the room stared at her, questioning her. Hades immediate answer, of course, was no. He wouldn’t allow it, though Bianca already saw that coming.

“Need I remind you, Nico was about to catch down the assassin and reveal his identity. Something not one of your guards as done.”

“But, need I point out, he was injured,” Hades said, attempting to win this argument.

“Still better than any your guards have done.”

Hades glared, but it was the truth. None of guards came close to catching the assassin, and Nico was able to put up a fight.

“Sir, if you’d hear me out,” Thanatos said, making everyone in the room remember he was there. “I think it’s a good idea. The prince could heal and protect his sisters till the wedding, whenever that should be.”

The king sighed again, about to object, but the glare in his daughture’s eyes intensified, and he knew what the correct answer was. “Fine. So be it, Bianca. Your brother can accompany you.”

“Thank you,” Bianca replied back calming, then turned to Nico with a smile. “I’ll help you pack.”

***

Three days later, all the kids stood in front of the king and queen, ready for departure. Cecil and Lou Ellen shock their hands stepping into the second carriage. Hazel hugged both her parents, waiting for Bianca to say her good byes. Once bother the girls had finished, they entered the second carriage as well. Will shock the king’s hand and was about to do the same to the queen when she pulled him into a hug.

“Safe travels, Will,” she whispered, letting him go. He thanked her, entering the first carriage where he waited for Nico.

Nico was the last one to bid farewell to his parents. He let Persephone hug him, hugging her back. Neither one of them sure when they’d see each other again, so they hugged liked it was their last hug. Afterwards, Nico stood in front of his father.

Nico had planned out his good bye to him already. Normally, they would have done it quickly, neither one wanting to be in each other’s presence, but, this time, Nico decided to do it differently.

He started to speak in Italian, only so that Persephone wouldn’t be able to tell what he was saying. “I was awake the other night when you came to visit me,” Nico spoke. Hades tried to hide the surprise in his eyes, but some of it shone, but only for a second. “And because of that, I know that you do care about me, so… thank you, Dad.” HE hesitated for a moment, but wrapped his arms around his father, slightly hoping he’d hug back. Before Hades could, Nico released himself, running to the carriage.

Bianca had seen what had happened, but had no idea what he had said. All she saw was Nico hugging their father and couldn’t help but smile. Before she realized it, Hazel was whipping her check.

“Why are you crying, B? Are you hurt?”

Bianca shock her head, patting Hazel’s head. “It’s nothing, Little Gem. I’m just happy.”

***

It was an hour into the ride and the boys hadn’t spoken much. Nico had been thinking about telling Will the big family secret, but wasn’t sure how he’d react to it. Holding it off for as long as he could, he tried to find ways to distract himself to pass the time. When he checked the time, he realized that they’d have to stop for the night soon.

Nico silently took in a deep breath, looking out the window before speaking. “So,” Nico mumbled, catching Will’s attention. “Let’s say, hypothetically, that I was… um, into other boys. What would you do?”

Will looked at Nico with a questioning look, though Nico wasn’t looking at him. His eyes were staring out the window and his hands were in his lap, fiddling with his jacket, a sign that he was nervous.

Will focused his eyes outside once again, replying. “I wouldn’t mind. In fact, I’d probably be happy for you and hope you’d find someone special.”

Nico’s heart leaped. He was half expecting him to hate him, but instead he had the same feelings as before. Nico turned to him, trying to meet his eyes.

“Okay. And what if I was to say that I’m really am… gay?”

Will turned to Nico, a smile on his face. Nico gulped, unsure of what to think.

“It’s alright, Nico,” he reassured. “I fully support you and it doesn’t change anything between you and me.”

“Alright,” Nico said, his voice shaking. “Then I guess it’s time for the whole story.”

“Story?” Will thought out loud.

Nico nodded, beginning his story of what happened two years ago, and as he talked, Will didn’t dare to interrupt him.


	15. Chapter 15

*4 years ago*

Hades had decided to pay his younger brother, King Poseidon, a visit. He had also brought his children along: Bianca di Angelo and Nico Di Angelo. At the time, Bianca was fourteen and Nico was twelve. Hazel had just been born and Hades thought bringing her along would quite a lot of hassle for her mother.

It was a cold winter day in the sea kingdom. Snow had fallen the night before, cover the ground with a fresh layer of white, cold fluff. The sun was high in the sky when they arrived, the light glaring of the snow.

The carriage rode to a stop in front of a large castle right off the coast of the sea. The cold water reflected the late afternoon light, glistening off the waves.

King Poseidon stood in front of the palace, with his wife, Queen Amphitrite, beside him. Their son, Percy Jackson, was nowhere to be seen. From where Nico sat, he could see the both of them whispering to each other in hushed voices, no doubt about it was about Percy's whereabouts.

When they had all exited the carriage the king was introducing himself and his wife the children. As Poseidon was leading them inside, a boy banged open the door. The boy, Nico thought, was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen.

The boy looked to be the same age as his sister, fourteen. His black hair hung in his face covering his sea green eyes till he pushed it away. He stood taller than Nico, but, then again, most people did. At Percy’s hip, was a sword. From what Nico could see. The hilt was made with leather and there was something written on it.

“Percy,” Poseidon scolded his son. “Where have you been?”

Percy huffed, catching his breath. “Sorry, Dad. I lost track of time.”

His father was about to scold him again when his wife placed a hand on his arm. Poseidon's gaze softened and introduced Hades and his children to Percy.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Percy beamed, shaking their hands. He shook Nico’s last, causing him to try and hid his blush. Percy laughed thinking, Nico was just being shy. “I don’t bite. Trust me.”

Queen Amphitrite suggested they all go inside and have tea. She had made cookies herself. Percy was excited. His step mother’s cookies were almost as good as his mom’s.

Hades took a seat across from the king and queen in the arm chair. Bianca took the other arm chair, leaving the only place for Nico to sit was by Percy. He turned red once again, debating if he should just sit on the floor.

“Come on, Nico,” Percy patted the seat beside him. Nico hopped up, taking a cookie off the tray in front of him.

The adults talked, not allowing the kids to go anyway or do anything. All three children were growing bored. After ten minutes of listening to them whine, Poseidon suggested Percy show them his room. All three leapt up, Percy taking the lead to show them his room.

The whole room was blue. The walls were one shade of blue, the bed sheets were a darker color, and the carpet had a different tint than anything else. They noticed there was a TV with a shelf full of discs and games they could play. Mounted to one of the walls were all sorts of different weapons.

“Wow,” Bianca and Nico said, lost for words. Percy laughed, telling stories about each piece he had.

“And this shield,” Percy exclaimed, picking up a bronze shield with some strange monster on it, “is something my younger brother, Tyson, made for me.”

“How old is he?” Bianca asked.

“Fourteen.”

“Where is he?”

“Tyson’s at school to make more cool stuff like this. He said the next thing he’d going to try and make is a cool helmet.”

The three children talked till dinner. Percy and Bianca sat next to each other and Nico sat by his father. Nico was a little jealous that his sister got to sit next to Percy, but didn’t say anything about it.

Later that night, Nico and Bianca were in the room they were sharing. Bianca was unpacking while Nico sat on the bed playing Mytho Magic. Bianca rolled her eyes at her brother. Ever since their father showed him that game he’s been obsessed.

“So,” Bianca starting, pulling Nico’s attention away from the cards. “You seemed to be really shy around Percy today.”

“Yeah. What about it?”

She glanced over at him. “You’re normally not shy.”

Nico looked back at his cards, hoping to hide his blush. “So? I’ve never met Percy before today.”

“Please. You run up and start a conversation with almost anyone. You might even start talking to a person who’s trying to kill you.” Bianca sat down next her brother and put an arm around his shoulder. “You can tell me. I won’t tell anyone.”

Nico sighed, looking up at her. “Percy’s… cute?” he said in more of a questioning tone. Bianca’s eyes widened and she fell off the bed, laughing hard.

“It’s not funny!” Nico screamed at her, jumping off the bed.

Bianca calmed down, whipping the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry, it’s just I never expected you to be gay.”

Nico tilted his head to the side. “What’s that?”

Bianca sat back on the bed, patting the seat next to her. Nico sat next to her, listening to her explain everything. He didn’t say anything till she finished.

“Any questions?”

Nico slowly nodded. “When do I tell Dad?”

“Whenever it’s time. Just tell me when and I’ll help you.”

He nodded, playing with his cards again. A few minutes later, Percy knocked on the door, wanting to know if they were busy. Before Bianca, who had answered the door, could answer, Nico ran over pulling him into the room. All three of them played Mythomagic till Hades came to check up on them.

“It’s time for bed, kids. Oh, and your father needs to see you as soon as possible, Percy. HE says it’s urgent.”

Percy nodded, running out of the room and to wherever his father was. It wasn’t till the next day did either of the kids find out what was so urgent.

***

Bianca and Nico didn’t see Percy till nightfall the next day. Their father and uncle weren’t around much either and no one would tell them what was going on. When Percy returned later, Nico ran up and asked him where he’d been all day.

“My friend went missing and I need to find her,” he told him.

Nico frowned a little, but understood. “Did you find her?”

Percy shook his head. “No. I hope her mother doesn’t kill me. She was on the way here when the carriage broke down, and she went missing shortly after.”

“Who’s the girl?”

“Her name’s Annabeth Chase. She’s the daughter of Lady Athena.”

Nico had heard of Lady Athena. She was very protective over her daughter. When she finds out that Annabeth went missing, she’ll lose it.

“Prince Percy!” A guard shouted, running up to him and giving him a salute. The man held out a rolled out piece of paper, which Percy took. “We found this right before we left the scene of the accident.”

Percy unrolled the paper and quickly read what was on it. Once he had finished, he crushed it, hurrying off to his father’s office without another word.

***

It was another three days before Nico saw Percy again, and when he did, he seemed more in distress than before. Right now, they were trying to play a board game, but Percy was so distracted by his thoughts he didn’t realize it was his turn.

“Percy,” Nico said, gaining his cousin’s attention, “do you love Annabeth?”

Percy turned bright red. “What? No. Me and Annabeth? Haha, that’s a funny one, Ghost King.”

Nico could tell that every word was a lie. Percy truly cared for Annabeth in a romantic way, meaning that any chance he had with Percy were gone. Then again, Nico thought, there never was a chance.

***

The next evening Bianca and Nico were outside playing. Nico had been trying to find Percy all day, so his sister made him go outside and do something. They were building a snowman when they saw two guards walking through the gates with a curly blond hair girl. A minute later, the castle doors burst open and Percy came running out. The girl ran toward him as well, and they met each other, hugging right away.

“Oh my gods, I thought I’d never see you again,” the girl cried.

“It’s okay now, Annabeth,” Percy hushed, brushing away her tears. “Let’s get you inside. You can warm up, get a fresh pair of clothes on, and we can all eat.” He took off his jacket, throwing it over her shoulders.

Nico watched the two. He remembered how much Percy denied it yesterday, but he didn’t need to say anything to confirm his feelings for Annabeth; the look in his eyes said it all.

“Bianca! Nico! Let’s go inside,” Percy shouted toward them.

All four of them went inside. Percy took Annabeth's to her room and waited for her to outside her door. When the two of them finished up, they went down to the dining room for dinner with all the others. Lady Athena had arrived earlier that day to help search and once she saw her daughter was okay, she ran over and embraced her in a hug.

The rest of the night, Percy, Annabeth, and Lady Athena were all together discussing things with King Poseidon. Apparently, the note Percy received the day before was a random letter from a man named Atlas who had also somehow kidnapped Lady Artemis. Luckily, Artemis was able to get both of them out of there and return Annabeth to safety.

***

The day after Christmas, King Hades departed with his children. Nico tried to persuade his father to let them stay longer, but the king instead that they leave. He had a kingdom to run, a wife to see, and baby to look after. Before his son could protest, Bianca came into the scene, ushering her brother into the carriage.

“Bye!” both the kids shouted out the window as they rolled away.

It took two whole days to get home, and the whole time all Nico could only think about was Percy. Oh, how he missed Percy.


	16. Chapter 16

_ Italic = Italian  _

***Two years later***

_ Today’s the day _ , Nico thought.  _ Today’s the day I tell Dad that I’m gay. _

It had been two years since Nico realized he was gay. He thought it might have been a phase at first, but every time he saw Percy his feelings for him only grew.

Bianca had asked him about a week ago when he planned on telling their father, so he decided he’d do it soon. What was the worst that could happen?

He’d talked it over with Bianca last night and she thought it was a good idea. Nico practiced telling her as if she were their dad. Though, even after two hours of preparing how to his dad, he was still nervous, but that wasn’t going to stop him. No, he was going to do it today.

It was Friday. Friday at the Hades castle was family night. Some nights they’d play games, and other nights they’d watch movies. Regardless, Nico figured this was the perfect time to come out. Both Persephone and Hades would be there, and it was a safe and calm environment.

So Nico waited till after dinner when they were all in the sitting room. Hazel, who was four at the time, was playing with her dolls on the ground. The king and queen sat on the couch, watching all three of the children play. Bianca and Nico sat across from them playing Nico’s favorite game, Mytho Magic.

Hades cracked a joke, which everyone laughed at. Then Nico decided it was time to tell his parents the news.

“Dad, Persephone,” Nico said nervously, placing his cards on the table. “I’ve… I’ve got something to tell both of you.”

“Of course, son,” Hades said warmly. “Go ahead. There’s no need to be scared.”

“That’s right,” his step mother agreed. “There’s no need to be worried.”

Nico glanced over at Bianca who gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Nico sighed, looking at the people in front of him. “So, uh, I’ve been meaning to tell you guys for a while now, but I just didn’t know how, so I’m just going to come out and say it. I’m gay.”

This isn’t how Nico had planned it, but he freaked out at the last moment and forgot everything. It was supposed to go a lot smoother than that, and Bianca knew it too, thought she could tell that he panicked.

Prosphone smile kindly and reached for Nico’s hand. “I’m happy for you Nico. If it makes you happy, it’s fine by me. Honey?” She looked over at Hades who sat there straight faced.

“Are you sure?” he asked without emotion.

Nico gulped. “Yes.”

“You sure it’s not just a phase?”

“Completely sure.”

Hades sounded dumbfounded. “But… you can’t. You’re my son.”

“I still am. It may be a bit shocking at first, but it’s what I am. I thought it might have been a phase at first, but… that was two years ago. I’ve been gay for two years now.”

His father let out a nervous laugh, causing everyone to give him a strange look, including Hazel whose attention was now on him. “This is a joke, right? Right?”

No one said anything for a minute. Nico shook his head at him. “No. It’s true.”

“Can you not be?”

“Dad. It doesn’t work like that,” Nico tried to explain, but was cut off.

“Nico,” Hades said in a firm voice, leaning forward a little. “You will not be homosexual, understood? Not under my roof.”

“This is who I am though.”

“No it’s not. I will  _ not  _ have a gay son. Clear?”

Nico clutched his fist and gritted his teeth. When he spoke, anger was clear in his voice. “Actually, no, you’re not. Why’s it so hard to accept?”

Hades stood up, letting his hatred for the topic out. He started to yell at Nico who just sat there, too petrified to do anything, let alone get up and run away. Bianca and Persephone tried to stop him, but to avail. Nico stared at the ground, now thinking that he had done something wrong and cried silently. Hazel, who was scared of all the loud noises, cried loudly.

Bianca, not wanting either of her siblings in this mess, stood up and scooped Hazel up in her arms. Once Hazel was safely in her arms, she grabbed Nico’s hand forcefully pulling him up and out of the room.

“Bianca Maria di Angelo, you let go of your brother right now!” Hades shouted after her. He tried to chase after her, but Prosphone blocked his path, yelling at him.

“How dare you yell at your son like that! And in front of Hazel as well? You should be ashamed of yourself.”

The two of them argued like that, giving Bianca a chance she needed to get her brother and sister away from the chaos. She took them straight to her room, and then went to get some other things, such as Hazel’s blanket, Nico’s old stuffed animal that he used when he had nightmares, and snacks.

When she returned, Hazel had calmed down and was now sitting in Nico’s lap, hugging him. Hazel ran to her sister, tugging on her shirt.

“Big brother hasn’t said anything since Papa yelled at him. Why did Papa yell at him? Is he mad at Nico for doing something?” Hazel asked in a worried tone. Bianca frown, setting her stuff down and picked up her sister.

“I don’t know, Hazel. I don’t know,” B told her. She looked over at her brother who was sitting on the couch, staring off into space. She looked back at Hazel. “Let’s get you to sleep, okay? You can sleep in my bed,” Bianca said, putting on a smile though it was hard to, but she needed Hazel to not be sad.

“Okay. Will you tuck me in?”

“Of course.”

Bianca tucked Hazel in and waited till she fell asleep before going to see Nico. He had been curled up on the couch, not making a single sound. Bianca walked over to him and hugged him. Nico sobbed into her shirt as she stroked his head and sang their mother’s lullaby softly.

“D-do you th-think mom would hate m-me now?” Nico asked in a shaky voice.

“No. Mom could never hate you,” Bianca assured, kissing his head. “Now, what can I do to cheer you up?”

Nico sniffled, looking up at him. “Can we watch Doctor Who?”

“Sure thing,” Bianca smiled, picking up the TV remote. They watched old Doctor Who episodes late into the night and ate their snacks. Eventually, Nico fell asleep on Bianca who placed a blanket over both of them, falling asleep as well.

 

***

 

Bianca woke up before her siblings. She snuck out, hoping to slip into the kitchen, grab breakfast for the three of them, and get back to her room without anyone noticing her or trying to stop her. Unfortunately, on the way back to her room, she ran into her father.

They stood across from each other in the hall, waiting to see who would speak first.

Bianca glared, mumbling, “Excuse me,” as she passed him.

“Bianca,” Hades said. She turned around and faced him. “I’d like to have a word with your brother some point today. Will you send him to my office when he wakes up?”

She glared at him again, but with more anger this time. “ _ Why should I? Unless you’re going to apologize and accept who he is, I don’t think he wants to see you.” _

Hades gave her a cold stare, replying back in Italian. “ _ Do not defy your father, Bianca. I wish to speak with your brother so I shall.” _

_ “Fine, but only if I’m there.” _

_ “Fine. So be it.” _

They both turned, going their separate ways.

 

***

 

At one o’clock, Bianca, Nico, and Persephone stood outside Hades office door. Nico hesitantly knocked on the door. Seconds later they heard Hades call for them to come in. Nico slowly opened the door, glancing at his sister and stop mother who both nodded at him. They entered, Bianca and Nico taking the two seats in from of the desk. Persephone, who had decided to come along without Hades knowing, stood behind the two children.

Hades sat at his desk, hands folded on the table. He looked at Nico to Bianca and finally to his wife. He then focused on Nico, the only one that he wanted here at the moment.

“Nico now that we’ve both calmed down and have had a night to think about it, I’m giving you one more chance. Are you going to continue to be gay?”

Nico gulped and nodded. “Yes.”

“Then you leave me no other choice,” Hades told him. HE reached down into one of the drawers in the desk and handed a folder to Nico. Nico looked at curiously, then back at his father. “This is everything you’ll need to live when you leave the castle. It only has enough money to get you by for the next six months, so I suggest you get a job as soon as possible. You’ll be leaving in three days.”

Nico’s mouth fell open. He was just going to kick him out of his home? And for what? Because he liked boys?

Both the girls glared at him, their anger clear on their face. They both began to argue and shout at him.

“He’s your son. How could you?” Prosphone shouted at her husband.

“He’s no son of mine,” Hades replied.

That stabbed at Nico right in the heart. No one noticed right away, but he had started crying again.

“He’s my brother. And Hazel’s. How could you make the three of us miserable like that?” Bianca asked.

“I will allow you and your sister to visit him every so often once he finds a stable job and has a home.”

“How are you planning to cover this up, Hades?” Persephone asked him, now standing in front of him. “Everyone will ask what he’s up to and where he’s at.”

“I’ll say he’s away on business for the kingdom. It’s believable. Most kids his age start doing that around fourteen or fifteen.”

Bianca and Phosphine kept arguing with him for a while till Nico dried his eyes and looked at his father. “Is this what you really want?” He asked quietly, making everyone fall silent. “Do you really want me to leave?”

Hades gave him a look he only used when he was talking politics. It was a cold stare, one without emotion. “It must be done, Nico.”

Nico stood up, folder in hand. “Then I’ll be leaving in three days then.”

He then walked out of the room without another word. No one tried to stop him from leaving either.

  
***

 

Three days later he stood at the front doors on the castle. His bags were packed and were in the carriage already. Persephone, Bianca, and Hazel were there to wish him good-bye, though none of them wanted it to be the end.

“Bye, Persephone. And thank you for everything,” Nico told her.

Phosphine started to cry and hugged him even though she knew he didn’t like being touched. “I’ll miss you, Nico. Hopefully we’ll see each other soon.” He nodded, moving onto Bianca.

She hugged him right away. Nico hugged back, feeling something wet and realized she was crying. He couldn’t remember the last time Bianca had cried. “I love you so much, you know that? Make sure you call me every day, okay?”

Nico nodded, trying to hold back his tears as well. “I will. I love you too.”

They pulled apart and a stared at each other. Bianca let out a small laugh, despite her sadness and kissed his forehead. She patted his arm and let him say his goodbye to Hazel.

He crouched down, looking right at her. “I’ll be back soon, okay, Little Gem?” He forced a smile as he told her.

She frowned and looked at the ground. “Why are you going, Nico? I want you to stay here.”

Nico frowned as well. “I have some things to do for Papa.”

“When will you be back?”

“Soon, I hope.”

Hazel frowned again and hugged him. Nico hugged back as tight as he could.

“I love you, Ghost King,” she whispered.

“I love you too, Little Gem.”

They pulled away and Hazel handed him a stuffed animal horse. It her favorite stuffed animal named Arion and she slept with it every night.

Nico refused as first, but Hazel insisted. “It’ll remind you of me.”

He nodded again, ready to cry because he knew it would be a long time before he saw Hazel again. Nico stood up, looking at the three people in front of him.

“Have a safe trip to Jason’s,” Bianca, who had stopped crying, said. She had made plans with their cousin Jason yesterday. Nico would be staying there for a month before he found an apartment and a job.

Nico nodded and walked toward the carriage. He turned back around. “I love you guys.”

“You too,” all three of them said.

Before he opened the door, Nico looked back at the castle, giving it one last look. In one of the windows he saw his father staring at him. Nico then opened the door, deciding it was time to go.

As the carriage pulled away, he waved at his family and looked out the window. Once they were out the gates, he let himself think about the future and what would happen.

  
Life as a commoner might not be so bad, Nico thought.


	17. Happy Halloween!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep in mind, this story does not effect the rest of the actual story.

All three children of Hades were excited for the upcoming holiday: Halloween. It was their favorite because it was one of the very few days of the year when they could be together outside of the palace and not have to worry about being caught. They could be anything they wanted to be. Though they had no idea what to be this year. 

Two weeks before October 31, the three children were flipping through costume magazines and scrolling through cosplay websites, seeking for one that caught their eye. They had been searching all morning when Hazel suddenly squealed with happiness. 

“I want to be that!” she's reached. Nico and Bianca both looked at what she was pointing that. It was a simple, yet cute panda bear costume. 

“You sure?” Nico asked.

“Yeah, you could be a witch or something more exciting,” B pointed out to her.

“No, I want to be a panda.”

Her older siblings glanced at each other, silently discussing the decision. In the end, they agreed to let Hazel be a panda. As soon as she was out of the room, they placed the order, shipping it to Nico’s apartment. They didn’t want to have it shipped to the castle because it was a secret from everyone. Well, everyone except maybe Persephone. She knew everything the kids were up to.

Bianca found one shortly after Hazel. It was another huntress costume. Nico rolled his eyes; for some reason, his sister was always a huntress or someone with a bow. Two years ago she was Katniss Everdeen, and the year before that she was Susan Pevensie. 

“Why don’t you change it up?” Nico always asked, and every time he got the same answer.

“Because I can bring a real bow for self defense.”

Normally, Nico would’ve rolled his eyes at the response, but this year was different. There was a real threat out there. Someone was after her.

Presophone tried to convince them not to go trick or treating this year. Heck, even Nico know it was a bad idea and tried to talk his older sister out of it, but she refused. She was not going to let one silly little thing stop her from celebrating the one holiday where all her sibling were happy.

Once B ordered her items, she left Nico’s room. On the way out, Percy and Jason stopped by to see what he was up to.

“Oh, Halloween costumes,” Percy said, excited out the topic. “I’ve already got mine picked out.”

“What is it?” Nico asked, interested.

“Nemo, of course” 

Nico rolled. Typical Percy. He waited for Jason to tell, but all he said was, “You’ll find out on the 31st.” 

They both left the room soon after the conversation ended. Jason claimed that he needed to call Piper, and Percy needed to go make sure Annabeth wasn’t going to be up all night reading. Not even five minutes after they left, Will came in without knocking. Nico groaned loudly.

Couldn’t he get a few minutes of peace and quiet? The answer: no.

“What’cha do’in?”

“Picking out a costume,” Nico replied, scrolling down another page online. “I’m thinking about going as the Winter Soldier.”

“Ooh, can I go as Captain and tag along with you guys? I’ve never been trick or treating.”

Nico’s eyes widened and he left the laptop drop onto the bed. He slowly looked up at Will who was sending him a questioning expression. Nico then grabbed the front of this shirt, shaking him furiously.

“How have you never gone trick or treating!” 

Will pried the smaller boy off, holding his wrist to prevent him from attacking. Once the bick haired boy was calm, Will began to explain his situation.

Apparently, Will’s parents never let him go out during the holidays. They might have a celebration on palace grounds, but he was never allowed off grounds for thing such like Halloween. That meant he never experienced parades from a crowd, never got to go attend a picnic like a normal citizen, or normal halloween stuff.

Then it dawned on Nico that most upper class people hadn’t either. They were all busy attending to their royal duties or trying to manage their important jobs. He realized that he was one of the very few people he knew that got to escape the high life and live like a commoner in a peaceful, less exciting life. And he now noticed how nice it really was.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” Nico pointed out. Will smiled brightly and sat beside Nico, looking for a costume as well.

***

It was the next day now, and the boys still hadn’t found a costume they liked. They had stayed up till the late hours of the night, though they came no closer to picking one out. 

They were sitting in one of the sitting rooms near their bedrooms having a snack. The sun shone through the windows, illuminating the dust in the air. Hazel, who had nothing else to do other than bother someone, came over to the boys.

“What’cha do’in?” she asked, trying to peer over the taller boys in front of her. Nico gently pushed her down, seeing as though she was digging her elbow into his shoulder.

“Looking for a costume,” he answered, hoping she’d leave. Normally, he wouldn’t mind her there, but he was getting frustrated by the task at hand.

“Still,” she groaned. “Why don’t you go as…” she tapped her chin thinking, then she suddenly shouted, “Chat Noir and Ladybug!”

“No,” Nico said planning, returning his gaze to the computer screen.

“Please.”

“No, Hazel.”

“I challenge you to a game of Go Fish!”

Nico looked up again, setting the laptop aside. He gestured for her to continue.

“If I win, you guys have to go as Chat and Ladybug.”

“And if we win?” Nico asked, bored with the idea already.

“Then… then you get one of my special rocks.”

Hazel had a knack for finding rare and common metals and minerals when she played outside. Sometimes she’d come inside from the woods with copper chunks or a nugget of gold. No one knew how she came across them, but she kept each and every piece.

“Alright, you’re on.”

Hazel beamed, charging down the hall to her room where the cards were. Nico stood up to follow, but Will stopped him.

“Are you sure about this?” Will asked.

Nico rolled his eyes and smirked. “It’s Go Fish with a little girl. What could go wrong?”

***

Hazel set down the last set of cards she needed to win in front of her. Nico, who still had a handful of cards, gaped at Hazel’s empty hands. Will, who had watched the whole thing go down, was in awe of what had just happened. 

Bianca just so happened to passing by when she heard an eruption of Italian curses and a fit of laughter. She entered so she Nico on the floor curled up in a ball, pulling his hair, Will staring at the cards on the table, and Hazel laughing for some reason.

“What happened?” Bianca asked, stepping into the room.

“This little monella beat me at Go Fish, and now Will and I have to dress up as that stupid bug and her chat for Halloween!”

Bianca’s eyes widened before she burst out laughing. “Don’t you know?” she gasped between her laughs. “You never challenge her to a game of Go Fish. Heck, even Dad told the staff not to play with her because she makes bets.”

“Wait, whis was a setup?” Will shouted, ready to strangle the small girl. She laughed more in response.

Bianca rolled her eyes, leaving the room. This was the boy's problem, not hers. Meanwhile, the boys started to argue with one another. Nico, without realizing it, slipped into Italian and no matter how many times Will tried to get him to speak English, it wouldn’t work. After ten minutes or so, they stopped and Nico spoke in a language that the other two would understand.

Nico sighed, calming himself before he spoke. “Hazel, I have a question: why don’t you just dress up as Ladybug or Chat?”

“Because,” she answered simply, “I don’t look like either of them, and I need a Chat.”

“But we don’t look them either,” Will pointed out.

Hazel shrugged her shoulders, picking up the cards. “So? You guys are going to be the most miraculous Ladybug and Chat I’ve ever seen.”

Nico and Will looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Nico was the first one to move. He grabbed his laptop, searching for a Ladybug and Chat costume. Will followed silently, secretly hoping that there weren’t any costumes that would fit them.

Oh, boy were they wrong. 

There were plenty of websites with cosplay costumes for the two heroes. And some of the Ladybug costumes were strictly for boys. When Nico found this out, he huffed and hung his head. Will patted his back, reminding him he was with him.

Hazel then charged into the room, reminding them that they had to order the costumes within the next two days or else they wouldn’t be here in time.

“I know,” Nico glumly replied, hitting the ‘Place Order’ button.

***

The 31st had finally arrived. Everyone had gathered at Nico’s apartment around four that afternoon and were now in their costumes. Bianca was in her hunter costume, her bow and arrow slung across her shoulder. Annabeth sat on the couch in her pirate costume next to Percy who was indeed dressed as Nemo. Piper, who everyone met earlier that day, was waiting for Jason to come out of the bathroom. She was dressed as a Native American.

Jason came out a few minutes later, wearing a… a brown painted box?

“Um, what are you supposed to be?” his girlfriend asked.

“A brick,” he stated.

“Why?” Annabeth questioned.

“They said I could be anything,” Jason grinned. “So I became a brick.”

Annabeth looked a Piper with a ‘Was this the nest you could do?’ look. Piper sighed, shaking her head a Jason and went to sit on the floor in front of the TV. 

Will went into the bathroom next to put on his costume, and Nico went to his bedroom. It look a good twenty minutes for them both to put their suits on, as well as their masks, and to fix their hair. Nico his hair into a small ponytail in the back, and Will tried to make his blond curls messer than they already were. 

They both came out at the same time, doing their best to avoid eye contact with everyone. When the other heard the doors open, they turned to see their two friends wearing their costumes, they laughed. Nico cursed at them in Italian while Will turned bright red.

Nico was wearing a Ladybug costume, made for a male and Will was dressed as Chat. Both of them felt surprisingly comfortable, but would never admit that outloud.

“It’s not funny you jerks!” Nico shouted. He took out his yo-yo and threw it at Jason who had laughed first. It hit him in the head, and he fell off his chair, laughing even harder.

“I hope he gets a concussion,” Nico mumbled. Will heard and tried to hold him a laugh.

Hazel ran over, her panda head bouncing as she came. In one hand she held her pumpkin basket, and in the other she held Will and Nico’s bag. She grabbed her brothers hand, dragging him toward the door.

“Let’s goooo!”

“Hold on there, Little Gem,” Bianca said, snatching her up in her arms. Hazel squirmed, wanting to leave and get her candy. “Trick or Treating doesn’t start for a new more minutes. Why don’t you go wait?”

Hazel huffed and stomped away. Bianca sighed, turning to her brother for instructions. She had volunteered to stay and hand out candy to anyone who came by. Nico told what and want not to do if something were to happen.

“Okay, if you run out of candy, there’s more in that cupboard. Don’t tell Percy, Jason, or Hazel. They’ll eat it all. Make sure don’t let anyone come in, especially if it’s the guy from room 4B down the hall. He likes to steal money. And make sure--”

“I get it,” Bianca said, cutting him off. “Don’t let anyone in, don’t go out, and make sure you have enough treats for the little ones. I get it.”

“And don’t burn the place down.”

“And don’t burn the place down,” she repeated, hoping to satisfy him. Luckily, it did.

Nico took his candy bucket from the counter. Will followed in suit, calling Hazel over to the door. Without saying what was happening, she picked up her bucket, running for the door. Jercy and Jason, also knowing it was time to collect candy, ran for the door, but were held back by their girlfriends.

“Let us go!” they both shouted, trying to fight them off. Instead they were both pushed down onto the couch and told to calm down a little bit.

Will and Nico left with Hazel, making sure they had everything. Hazel ran ahead of them, meeting them at the top of the stairs before zooming down to the first floor. The boys met her down the stairs. They found her chatting away with the build manager, Marilyn. Marilyn dropped a fan sized Snickers into Hazel bucket, waving her off to the two boys.

“Thanks, Mari,” Nico said, ushering Will and Hazel out the door before he could be stopped.

“I need that money soon, Nico!” She called after them. Nico ran off, shutting the door behind him, hoping he didn’t draw attention to late rent. Though Will heard, of course, but chose not to bring it up. For now, at least.

Hazel ran further ahead, despite Nico’s protest. They passed by people, young and old, as well as people in all sorts of costumes. There were cute costumes, and scary costumes, and even ugly costumes. Each one unique from the other. 

After two hours of collecting candy, the group decided to take a break, well, the boys that is. They stopped at a park. Hazel left her bucket with her brother, running off to the swing. The boys sat down on a bench, allowing their legs to take a break.

Will decided he’d bring up the topic he had heard about earlier.

“So, what about that rent thing?”

“What about it?” Nico asked, wanting him to get to the point.

“Why haven’t you paid your rent yet?”

“I need to write the check out. Then I’ll worry about next month.”

“Why that?”

Nico glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow. “Why does that matter to you?”

“Well, we are friends, and we’ll eventually be brothers at some point.” Though I’d rather just marry you instead, Will thought.

Nico shook his head, not wanting to discuss it any further. “Don’t worry about it, Will. I’ve got it under control.”

Will didn’t press any further. He did want to anger Nico.

Hazel came waddling back over, her panda head bobbing as she came. She hopped up onto the bench, and lied down with her head on Nico’s lap. Will looked over, seeing her eyes closed. Nico, without even needing to look, knew it was time to head home.

Will carried the candy, and Nico carried his sister. It was a twenty minute walk back to Nico’s apartment. A twenty minute walk that didn’t consist of any chatter between the two boys. They just listened to the sound of people walking by, and children shouting. Somehow, Hazel slept through all of this.

Bianca was handing a piece of candy to a little boy dressed as the Grim Reaper when they got back. She saw the boys approaching and held the door open for them. She took Hazel from Nico’s arms, and took her to bed in her brothers room. Meanwhile, Nico flopped down on the couch, and Will handed out some candy.

“So,” Bianca said, gently shutting the bedroom door behind her. “How was it?”

“Good. Hazel got to see--”

“It was amazing!” Will interjected. Nico and Bianca shushed him, gesturing to the bedroom. “Sorry.” 

He went on for a while. Percy and Jason came back with Annabeth and Piper. Surprisingly, they weren’t hyper. 

The two older boys walked over to the couch where Nico was. Nico was about to ask what they were doing when suddenly they both fell onto the couch, as well as on him. He shouted, but they both shushed him, starting to fall asleep.

The girls over over and pushed all three of them off the couch and started pulling out the sofa bed. Once it was folded out, Jason and Percy fell right back on it. Their girlfriends made some comments, but neither of the boys heard.

Bianca had already blown up an inflatable mattress for Piper and Annabeth to share. The blankets and pillows were set up for them. Not too shortly after the boys, they were out. Bianca decided at it was about time for her to head to bed too. 

That left just Nico and Will to be the only ones awake. Bianca, who had set up all the sleeping arrangements, rolled out two sleeping bags in Nico’s room. It was probably the worst sleeping place in the who apartment, but there was no point in complaining about it. Escalay with Bianca. 

After changing into their pajamas, they went to lay down on the floor. Both the sleeping bags were by each other, due to the room being so small. It also meant that they wouldn’t be able to avoid each other the rest of the night.

They lied down beside each other, shoulder to shoulder. Luckily for both of them, it was dark, so they couldn’t see each other blushing. Neither of them said anything, assuming the other was asleep.

“Nico?” Will whispered.

“Yeah?” He replied, in the same low voice.

“Just seeing if you were awake.”

Nico took a deep breath, but stayed silent. They didn’t say at all after that. They tried to to get in a comfortable spot, but gave up eventually. Will still hadn’t fallen asleep after an hour of laying on the floor. He was about to get up for a glass of water when he felt something on his shoulder. He jumped at first, but looked down to see a sleeping Nico di Angelo.

Will’s face burnt up, and he didn’t dare move in fear of waking him up. He tried to move the smaller boy off of him, but the second he moved to touch him, Nico only snuggled up against him more. Will just laid still, his whole face red.

He knew there was no chance in moving the smaller boy off of him, so he just accepted him fate, and tried to get some sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

*Present day*

“And on top of all that,” Nico finished up, “I found out Percy and Annabeth started going out about a week later.”

“Wow…,” Will muttered. “That’s a shit life right there. No offense.”

“None taken.”

Nico looked at the ground, running a hand through his hair. It had been a while since he had spoken about that day with anyone and he forgot just how bad it was to repeat it all out loud. Will took notice of how Nico was and moved to sit next to him instead of across.

“It’s okay if you need to cry,” Will told him. “I’ll be here to comfort you.”

Nico looked up at him, his eyes watering and gave out a laugh. A genuine, happy laugh. Will smiled.

“Thanks Will. It means a lot,” Nico said, letting a few of his tears fall. They soon turned into quiet sobs and Will pulled him into a friendly hug, avoiding his injured arm.

“Let it out, Nico. Let it out.”

***

Nico had fallen asleep and was still out when they had decided to stop for the night. Will gently shook his shoulder, waking him from his sleep. Nico complained at first, but followed the blond haired boy into the building.

Everyone else was already inside, waiting to receive their key. Lou Ellen and volunteered to check them all in, so she was also the one picking roommates.

“Alright,” she said, holding out the key cards to everyone. “This is mine and Cecil’s. Nico, this is for you and Hazel, and here’s one for Bianca and Will.”

They all headed to the elevator, pressing the button for their floor. All three rooms were on floor four, and each were within the same hall. The three groups went their separate ways and into their rooms. It hadn’t even been five minutes before Bianca came knocking on Nico’s door.

“Coming!” Nico shouted when he heard the knock. He opened it to see Bianca who shoved him out of the way and made her way into the room. “Well, hello to you too,” he mumbled sarcastically.

She ignored his comment and explained her situation. “There’s only one bed in my room, and I will not be sleeping in the same bed as Will.”

“Okay, then. Make him sleep on the couch.”

“There is no couch in there. It’s just two arm chairs.”

“What about the floor?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not that mean.”

“Fine. What do you want me to do about it?”

“I take your bed, and you take mine.”

Nico’s eyes widened. If he had been drinking something, he would have spat it out.

“Me? In the same bed as Will?”

She rolled her eyes again. “In a friend way, not anything else. Please?”

She gave in the puppy dog eyes and Nico gave in. Nico picked up his bag, walking down to Will’s room, which was also his now. Bianca was behind him with the key card to let him in.

When they entered the room, Will was sitting on the bed watching the TV. He put it on mute when Nico and Bianca walked in.

“So you agreed?” Will asked him. Nico nodded, waiting for Bianca to leave before talking.

“I don’t know she’s making us switch. You two are going to have to share a bed at some point.”

Will shrugged. “I’m not going to make her if she doesn’t want to.”

Nico didn’t say it out loud, but he appreciated the fact that he wasn’t pushing Bianca into something she wasn’t ready for. It gave him hope that maybe his sister would be happy with Will at some point in their marriage.

Nico picked up his pajamas and went to put them on in the bathroom. Normally he’d just wear boxers and a shirt, but Will was in the room and they’d have to share a bed. He didn’t want either one of them to feel weird, so he put on his black skull pants and a black shirt. With a little struggle because of his cast, he got dressed for bed.

He walked out five minutes later, seeing Will with a box of pepperoni pizza on the bed.

“Lou and Cecil bought it,” Will said, his mouth full.

Nico picked up a slice. “That was nice of them. Is there any soda?”

Will picked up a bottle of soda from the ground and handed to him. Once he had finished his slice of pizza, Will went to put on his pajamas. He would've done it before Nico, but wanted to see what he normally wore first. He didn’t want to be the only one wearing boxers to sleep.

Will came out a minute later, noticing the channel had changed. Nico had put of Gravity Falls and was so engrossed in it he didn’t realize Will was sitting next to him till he asked what was going on.

“Oh, Dipper accidentally made too many copies of himself and now he has to stop them before they do something bad.”

Will was about to question how you make copies of yourself, but noticed he’d already lost Nico’s attention. Instead he pulled out his phone, checking to see if anyone had texted him. At the moment, there were no messages to answer, so he played a game on his phone with the sound off. He didn’t want to disturb Nico.

An hour or so later, Nico yawned and said he was going to bed. He took the right side of the bed. After adjusting himself on his right side, he tried to sleep, but it just wouldn’t come. He stared at the wall, waiting to fall asleep.

“Hey, Nico,” Will whispered, unsure if he was asleep or not.

“What?”

“Are you awake?”

“Nah,” Nico replied, his words dripping with sarcasm. “I’m just sleep talking and just so happen to be answering your questions.”

Will smirked, turning on one of the lights. Nico turned onto his back, sending Will a questioning look. Will wasn’t looking though. He looked to be digging through his bag for something. A few seconds later, he pulled out a plastic bag full of different colored string.

“You know how to make friendship bracelets?” Will asked, picking out a few random colors.

“No,” Nico replied, sitting up now.

“I’ll show you.”

Nico gestured to his arm and Will gave him a weak smile, offering to make him one. Once they had picked the colors, Nico pulled out his phone and started to play music. Will immediately recognized it to be Fall Out Boy.

“So,” Nico mumbled after five or so minutes, “why are we up at eleven o’clock making bracelets?”

“Because we can’t sleep.”

“And this going to help how?”

Will shrugged. “It’s normally helps when I can’t fall asleep. What about you?”

“Stare at the ceiling and contemplate life,” Nico answered, half-jokingly. “And reading.”

Silence fell over them again and they listened to the music. Nico watched as Will crossed the strings over one another. Ten minutes later, the bracelet was finished and Will tied it around Nico’s right wrist.

“Sorry it’s not the best,” Will said, throwing the plastic bag onto the nightstand. “I can make you another one later.”

“No. I like it,” Nico told him, lying back onto the bed. “Thanks.”

Will turned off the light, lying down as well. “You’re welcome. If it breaks, come to me and I’ll make another one just like it, k?”

“Okay. Night, Will.”

“Night.”

Both boys fell asleep shortly afterwards, happy about the friendship bracelets. Nico fell asleep after Will, fumbling with the strings at his wrist. He promised himself he’d keep it on for as long as he could.

***

The next morning, there was a knock at the door. Will and Nico both groaned, annoyed that they had to be woken up. At first, they ignored the person, but the person knocked again. This time, repeatedly.

“I got it,” Nico mumbled, shuffling over to the door. He caught a glance of himself in the mirror, seeing how bad his bedhead was. He mentally sighed.

Nico opened the door, ready to ask whoever it was to go away, but then something hit his stomach. He grunted and looked down. Hazel stood in front of him, her head looking up at him with her arms around his waist. He patted her head.

“Where’s Bianca? You shouldn’t be here alone.”

“Bianca said she was going to go take a shower and that I should wake you and Will up. She said you both stink and need to shower,” Hazel giggled, covering her mouth. She had obviously added the ‘stinky’ part herself.

“Well then,” Nico knelt down to her height, “tell B she stinks too.”

Hazel nodded, giggling again. “Can I stay in here and watch Ladybug?”

Nico turned around to where Will was still laying. “That okay with you?” Will hummed a yes, still asleep. Nico looked over at Hazel, gesturing for her to jump onto the sleep blonde boy. Hazel stifled her laughter as she launched herself onto the bed, jumping onto Will.

“Time to wake up!” she shrieked.

Will knocked her off him, and into the place where Nico had slept. That didn’t stop her though. A second later, she at hopped onto Will again, pulling away the blankets.

“I thought you were a morning person,” she thought out loud.

“Most the time,” he said into his pillow.

Nico smiled at them, grabbing a change of clothes. He disappeared into the bathroom, leaving the task of waking Will up to Hazel. When he emerged ten minutes later, Will as sitting next to Hazel who was now watching Miraculous Ladybug. Both of them seemed to be so into it they hadn’t noticed him yet.

A knock at the door got everyone’s attention. Nico, being the one nearest, opened it. Bianca stood there, her hair falling over her shoulders and dressed in simple clothing. In one of her hands, she held Hazel’s bag, which he assumed had her clothes in it.

“Hazel, time to get dressed,” B told her.

“But, Ladybug…” Hazel complained, not wanting to get up.

“I know, but you have to get dressed,” her sister said, though it still didn’t appeal to the younger girl. “I’ll let you have some candy.”

Hazel perked up. “What kind?”

“Your pick.”

Hazel ran over to her sister, taking the bag from her hands. She went into the bathroom and came out seconds later now dressed for the day.

Bianca and Hazel left a few minutes later, allowing the boys to finish getting ready. They agreed to meet up in the lobby with their bags, and then grab something to eat before taking off again.

When they all met down in the lobby, they went to the buffet area to wat. Cecil and Lou arrived just as the boys were sitting down. Bianca was still helping Hazel get her food, so they’d be joining them once they both had their breakfast. Once both of Nico’s sisters had seated themselves, they all began to eat.

Twenty minutes later, they had all finished their morning meals and were ready to go. Bianca and Hazel stopped by the vending machine to get the candy the promised earlier that morning, and the other went to check out. Shortly after checking out, they were back in the carriages and on their way to the castle.

***

Around seven o’clock, Nico got a text from Bianca asking about clothing. She wasn’t sure if they were stopping to get dressed for when they met the king and queen of the Sun Kingdom. Nico asked Will who shook his head.

“Tell her not to worry about it. My parents understand it’s late and they’ll probably send us straight to bed when we get there any way,” Will informed him.

Nico sent Bianca this information. Right after sending it, he got another text asking how much long till they were there.

“Ten minutes, tops.”

Once again, Nico told Bianca who sent a simple ‘okay’ going back to whatever she was doing. Neither one of the boys in the carriage had spoken in a while, leaving the only sound to heard was the world outside. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, Will said something loudly. Nico jumped at the sudden sound.

“I have an idea!” Will exclaimed, much louder than needed. “You have music, right? Play some.”

Nico rolled his eyes, pulling up the app that he used for music. He scrolled through all the songs he had, stopping on a Twenty One Pilots song. Will recognized the song as House of Gold, one of his favorites, and began to sing along. Nico, who had been nodding his head and tapping his foot, stopped and just listened to the golden haired boy. His voice was the most beautiful thing Nico had ever heard.

The song ended, the next song starting to play. Will now noticed that Nico had been watching him with an amazed look on his face and blushed. He hadn’t meant to sing along; it just kind of happened when he heard certain songs.

“That was amazing,” Nico said slowly. “Why are you a prince? You should be a singer. Do you know how popular you’d be just posting covers on YouTube?”

Will laughed. This was the first time someone had complimented him like that.

“Never really thought about it, but, if being a prince doesn’t work out, I’ll do it.”

Nico smiled, rolling his eyes. Like that would ever happen, he though.


	19. Chapter 19

The two carriages pulled up to the castle. The three children of Hades stared in awe at the magnificent castle. They’d seen many before, but this one was by far the most beautiful.

It was made of a white stone was painted with gold in certain areas. In the front of the castle was a large fountain, which they all went around. The stairs leading up the front doors were spotless, not a single piece of nature littering it.

The doors opened, allowing them all out of carriages. Nico got out and stretched then picked up his sword, holding it in his right hand. Will offered to help him attach it to his belt, seeing as though two hands were needed for the task, but Nico declined. Bianca and Hazel walked over to Nico and Will, waited to be lead in.

Will lead them up the steps, the doors being opened by two guards. As soon as they entered, they came face to face with King Apollo and Queen Naomi. Nico and Bianca bowed first. Hazel was confused at first, but followed her siblings act.

“Oh, no need for that,” the queen said, walking over and pulling them into a hug. Nico tensed at the touch, but then his shoulder exploded in pain. The queen realized what she had done and pulled away. “I’m so sorry. Are you alright? You must me Nico, correct?”

Nico nodded, trying to hide his pain. “I’m fine, and, yes, I am Nico. Nice to meet you, your highness.”

“Please, call me Naomi. All three of you.”

All three of them nodded and introduced themselves. Afterwards, they were lead to the dining room to eat. During their introduction, Nico noticed that Lou Ellen and Cecil had both disappeared. He assumed they had other things they needed to do.

Will and Bianca sat beside each other, and Hazel and Nico were together. At the head of the table sat the king and at the other end was the queen. As soon as they were all seated, servants came out with the food.

“Sorry it’s not much,” the king apologized. “We weren’t sure if you guys were going to stop for food, or if you’d be too tired to eat with us.”

“Its fine, your highness,” Bianca assured on behalf of her siblings.

“No need for that,” he said. “You kids can just call me Apollo.”

All three children nodded, digging into their food. Both parents asked them a few questions, but not many because they were all hungry. Nico appreciated that. Just this once he wasn’t being pestered with questions about his whereabouts, meaning he didn’t have to lie right now.

At the end of the meal, King Apollo dismissed them to their room. He informed them all that they were all going to have lunch in the garden the following day so they could all get to know each other. Nico mentally braced himself for any and all questions that could possible come up.

A servants showed Bianca and Hazel to their rooms and Will lead Nico to where he’d be staying. When Nico asked why his sisters were in a different direction Will explained how his parents didn’t like both boys and girls so close to each other.

“But wouldn’t Bianca be an exception,” Nico pointed out. “You two are getting married.”

Will shrugged. “Knowing my parents, they’d only put me and Bianca near each other if we wanted it. Unlike your parents, no offense.”

“None taken. Hey, how many dates have you and B been on?” Nico asked, slightly grinning.

Will threw his hands and head up, groaning. “I don’t even know.” Nico laughed at his reaction and let him continue. “I mean, we’ve had multiple dates by now and I’ve gotten to know her better, but we just aren’t clicking like that. She’s nice and all, just… not my type.

“Then what is your type?”

Will had never really thought about it. He never fantasized about his marriage or girls at all. He assumed that was okay because he was a boy, but didn’t most guys at least think about what type of girl they’d want?

“Uh, nice, I guess.”

“And?” Nico paused, trying to get more out. Will shook his head and shrugged. The black haired boy gave him a playful shove. “Come on. There’s got to be more.”

Will stopped in front of a door. At first Nico was confused, but then realized that this must have been his room.

“My room’s right across the hall,” Will told him, pointed to the door he was walking toward.

“Hey, you’re avoiding my question,” Nico shouted, following him into is room. Will tried to protest, but Nico cut him off. “No, you’re answering my question.”

Will sighed in exhaustion, rubbing a hand over his face. He sat down in one of arm chairs in front of the fireplace and thought out loud. “I guess I’d like whoever it is to let me be one of the first people they feel like they can tell anything to. Like any deep, dark secret is something they can tell me without any hesitation. A nice personality and not a stuck up, snotty person would be great. And someone who’d just let me hold them for hours and just lay there, enjoying each other.”

Will smiled, imagining the way he’d hold his lover. The person had silky black hair that covered their eyes and pale skin. The clothes the black hair person was wearing were boy clothes, though they didn’t look like anything Will owned. They were black and looked a little oversized for their small frame. He was in the middle of the day dream when he realized he’d been picturing Niko the whole time.

Will blushed a little, chuckling a little. “I know it’s a little girly, but it’s something I’d like to do with whoever I fell in love with. I never picture it to be with someone like Bianca.”

Nico nodded, understanding. He then told Will what he looked for in a guy. “I get that. I like the heroic guys. The kind that would sacrifice everything for you in a heartbeat and not think twice about it. That’s probably why Percy was my first crush,” Nico gave Will a small smile. “Well, I’m going to head off to bed. Night.”

“Night.”

Nico left the room, shutting the door behind him. He crossed the hall into his room. It didn’t dawn on him till he entered, but Will hadn’t specified if he was thinking about a boy or girl. Was it possible that Will was gay as well? Or maybe bisexual?

He also thought of the description Will had given him. It was a long shot, but was it him? He had told Will a big secret, but that had taken a lot of courage. He wasn’t too sure on the other two things though.

Sure, Nico didn’t think he had a bad personality, but that was from his perspective. Maybe he did have a bad personality and just didn’t know it.

And cuddling with Will for hours, just lying there with each other, rather if they were talking or not, sounded wonderful.

The more Nico thought about it, the more he could imagine it. Eventually, he looked at the clock at the wall. When he had entered the room, it had been eight forty. It was now nearly nine thirty and he was still leaning against the door. Had he really been day dreaming for that long?

He shook his head, making his way toward the bed. Normally, he be exploring the room, but it was late and he needed his rest for the king and queen tomorrow.

Nico slipped off his pants, leaving him in his boxers and shirt and snuggled under the blankets. He then fell asleep thinking about Will holding him, running his hands through his hair.


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning, Will woke up later than he normally would when he was at home. He was still up before most people, but when he left his room he ran into more people than he expected on his way to the kitchen. After his coffee, he had planned to wake Nico up so he could get ready for breakfast and get to the dining room without getting lost.

Will arrived at the kitchen, spotting Kayla and Austin right away. He past two or three people cooking, but didn’t pay much attention to them. He had missed his two friends so much. A month away from them was too long for him.

“Hey guys,” Will greeted as Kayla slid his coffee mug across the counter top. Will picked up, taking a long sip of it.

“Hey, Will,” Kayla replied. “So, when do we get to meet the princess and her siblings?”

“Later today. We’ll stop by after dinner. That okay?”

They both nodded. Austin was about to say something when someone sat down with them. They all looked at the person, the two servants not recognizing him, but Will did. Kayla and Austin looked at each other in confusion while Will questioned him.

“Nico, why’d you make you make yourself food?”

“I was hungry,” he replied.

“But the staff’s starting to make breakfast.”

Nico rolled his eyes, biting into his pancake. “Please. I have two hands. I can do it myself.”

“Will, you know this guy?” Austin asked, waiting for the introduction.

“Right,” Will said, clearing his head. “Guys this is Prince Nico di Angelo. Nico, these are my friends, Kayla and Austin.”

Both Austin and Kayla gasped, their eyes widening. Nico ignored it, whipping his mouth and stuck a hand out. “Nice to meet you both. I’m Nico.”

Instead of shaking hands, they bowed, apologizing for not realizing he was the prince. Nico, nearly forgetting that he was a prince, told them to stop and treat him like they treated Will. From what he could tell, they were causal with him.

The two servants nodded, quietly sipping their coffee. Nico reached for the coffee pot and one of mug beside it, but both Austin and Kayla and already grabbed it and poured him a cup. Nico, slightly irritated by this, thanked them politely and gave Will a questioning look. Will nodded, knowing that Nico was wondering if they always acted like this.

Nico finished his plate of food and put it in the sink before either one of Will’s friend could do it for him. Afterwards, Will lead him back to his room so he could get dressed and whatever else he needed to do.

An hour later, both the boys made their way down to the dining room together. They didn’t talk and both were thinking about their day dreams from last night. The more they thought about it, the more awkward they left, hoping the other one would sense it. Though, since they weren’t looking at each other except for a few glances, neither one of them noticed their strange behavior.

They arrived at the dining room and took their seats across from each other. The only other person there was King Apollo who was reading the newspaper and he hadn’t notice the boys enter yet. It wasn’t until Hazel came running into the room with Bianca behind her did he put his reading material down.

“Good morning girls,” he said in a cheerful voice. He looked at the boys, now noticing them for the first time. “When did you two get here?”

“We’ve been here for ten minutes, Dad,” Will answered, biting into his toast.

Hazel sat next to Nico who started to fill her plate with food. Hazel had started eating when her older brother noticed that her curly hair was getting dipped into her maple syrup. Bianca took notice to this too and handed a hair tie to Nico. He got the message, and started to pull the younger girl’s hair back.

“Hold on a sec, Hazel.”

She stopped eating, allowing her brother to pull her hair back. Will watched from across the table, slightly smiling. He found it sweet that Nico would do that for his little sister. It was a very caring jester.

The queen came in, taking her seat. Her plate and glass were already set for her, so she started to eat right away.

At the end of the meal, Naomi told them that lunch would be at noon in the garden. She gave Will the responsibility of getting them all there on time. Will accepted the task, suggesting that he give them all a tour before that. Both his parents agreed seeing as though it would help everyone in the long run.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” the king said, standing up. “I have a few things to get done before lunch.”

He bid everyone farewell, stopping to give his wife a kiss on the cheek before exiting the room. Once he was out of the room, the queen excused everyone else, saying that the sooner the tour was over, the sooner they could wash up for lunch.

Will waited at the doorway for the children of Hades. Nico was the first to join him while Bianca cleaned Hazel up. She had made a sticky mess with her syrup.

Five or so minutes later, Bianca and Hazel had joined bother the boys and were now ready for their tour. Will began to lead them down the hall, showing them every place they’d need to know.

***

At noon, Will lead them all to the garden. He knew the exact place his mother had been talking about, so he didn’t need to worry about where he was going. It was in the far back, meaning that the four of them would have to walk through the garden, though Will didn’t mind; he found it soothing and a nice pace to relax.

The whole way there, the children of Hades took in every plant they saw. Will noticed how they were all fascinated by the flowers and leaves and was curious as to why they were so taken by it. Then he remembered their step mother adored flowers, so maybe her love for them started to rub off on them.

Will noticed that Nico was also fawning over the flowers and thought it was cute. He snapped himself out of thoughts, telling himself he needed focus on getting them all to lunch on time. He knew he wouldn’t be in trouble if he was in late, but Will was very conscious of times.

They arrived two minutes later, but neither of his parents seemed to notice that. The king and queen gestured for them to sit down. They all took their seat. Will beside his parents and the other three across from them. Nico choose to sit across from Will, allowing Bianca to sit in the middle. In front of everyone was a tray of sandwiches, a bowl of chips, and a pitcher of lemonade. Everyone dug in right away.

Nico and Bianca had expected to be pestered with questions and other conversations as soon as they sat down, but they ate first before speaking. They, of course, spoke with Bianca first, but then started to notice Hazel wanted attention as well.

“And Hazel,” the queen said, speaking to her with a kind smile. “Mind reminding me how old you are.”

“I’m six and a half!” Hazel said in a cheerful voice. “And my birthday’s December 17.”

“Oh, and you’ll be seven?”

Hazel nodded. “Yep.”

“I see. And wha--”

Hazel gasped as a butterfly that had passed by all of them. It was a common monarch butterfly, but they were very common this time of year.

“B, can I go watch it? Please?”

“How about you finished answering Naomi's question?”

Naomi waved it off. “No, dear, you can go catch it. And if you go ask that gardener over there,” the queen pointed, “I’m sure he’d even give you a net.”

Hazel’s whole face brightened. “Thank you!”

She ran off, leaving the others to watch for a moment. Once the little girl had run around for a few minutes, the other returned to their conversation.

“So, Nico,” Apollo started. Nico silently gulped, afraid that he had the king’s full attention. “If you don’t mind me asking, and you don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to, why is it you’re never at the castle.”

Of course. The same golden question he was asked by everyone. He almost glanced at Bianca, but knew it would be suspicious. “My father sends me off on task for him. Often times, I don’t have time to stop back at home to get them, so he sends the task information through the mail.”

“And it’s been like this for two years?” Naomi asked.

Nico nodded. “Yep. My dad thought I could handle it, so I’ve learned to.”

“Wow.”

Naomi asked the next question. “This may be a more personal question, but what happened to your mother? The details of her death were never confirmed to the public.”

Nico and Bianca glanced at each other. Bianca put a hand on her little brother's shoulder, letting him know he didn’t have to tell.

“Well,” Bianca began to explain, “it was shortly after our father and Persephone got married. My father had taken a certain interested in our mother and they got to know each other a little more. Of course, Persephone wasn’t happy about this and demanded it stop, so it didn’t. That was until our mom came out and said she was pregnant with me. Since she was baring the child of the king, she was kept on castle grounds, but far, far away from the king thanks to Prosphene. Two years later, our mom was then pregnant with Nico, but, when she had Nico, she fell ill. She wasn’t able to fully recover and died shortly after Nico’s first birthday.”

Naomi gasped in shock, reaching out to rub both of the children's arms. Apollo and Will had a sad expression on their face.

“And what about Hazel’s mom?” the king asked. “She’s still alive, right?”

“Yeah,” Nico said, now taking his turn to talk. He looked over at Hazel for a moment before starting the story. “Our father had taken an interest in Marie Levesque, only this time, our step mom didn’t know. Our dad also didn’t know that Marie was pregnant. It wasn’t till a year later when he went to visit her did he realize he had another daughter. So, for the next year, our father would speak out to visit her and his new daughter, but, as time went on, he noticed that Marie’s behavior was starting to change. One day when he came over to visit, he witnessed Marie try to summon a god. He then called the authorities, and, after running some test, it turned out that she had gone crazy. Now she’s at a place to get help.”

“Does Hazel get to see her mom?” Naomi wondered. “Does she know she has a mom? How did Persephone react to the news?”

“Persephone was mad at first, but found out a few weeks later that she wasn’t able to have kids of her own. So she took as all in. As for Hazel and her mom, Hazel knows about her mother. She gets to visit around her mom’s birthday, but Marie, unfortunately, doesn’t always remember Hazel.”

“That poor child…” Naomi trail off, all of them now watch Hazel catch butterflies with her net. To them, Hazel looked so happy all the time despite know her mother's state. Then again, she was only a child and children tend not to worry too much on that kind of stuff.

A phone buzzed. Everyone looked around, seeing the king pull out his phone. He read over a text and stood up.

“I’m afraid I’m needed elsewhere at the moment,” Apollo apologized. “I’ll see you all at dinner.”

They all nodded, parting ways with king for the time being. He went over and kissed the queen check, then ran back off the palace. The others continued their lunch and talked a bit more. This time, not something so dark or sad.


	21. Chapter 21

Nico and Hazel were dismissed from lunch before Will and Bianca were. The queen suggested that Hazel could use a nap, which, no matter how much the little girl denied it, was true; after running around so much, and not getting to bed early enough had taken its toll on her.

Nico tucked his little sister into bed, kissing her forehead. He had carried her up to her room and she had fallen asleep on the way there, making it a bit easier to get out quickly. Afterwards, he went back to his room with nothing to do.

While sitting around in his room doing nothing, his mind wandered. At first it was nice and peaceful thoughts. Then he was reminded on the conversation he had an hour ago about his mom. He remembered when he was eight and his father told him the story of how she died. Of course it saddened the boy, but then he began to feel as though it were his fault his mother died. He had weakened her and she wasn't able to recover.

Nico tried to think of something else, but it was impossible. He remembered how Bianca told him it wasn't his fault, he just didn't believe it.

He was ripped away from his thoughts when he heard a knock at the door. Nico rushed over to it, whipping his checks that were sticky with tears. He hadn't realized till he stood up that he had been crying.

At the door was Will. He was standing there causally, ready to ask Nico if he wanted to go to the library, but then noticed he'd been crying.

"Are you okay?" the blonde boy asked.

Nico whipped his eyes again, sniffling. "Yeah, yeah. It's fine. I was just thinking about something, but I'm done now."

Will entered the room, not asking if he could or not, and shut the door. As soon as the door was shut and locked, he hugged Nico. Nico cried into his chest and it felt like the other day all over again.

Will ran and hand through Nico's black hair, humming a random tune. "What to talk about it?"

Nico shook his head, burying his head more. "Was it about your mom?" He hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. Will hugged him tighter. "Well, when I'm sad, I watch a movie. Ever seen 'The Sound of Music'?"

"No," Nico admitted.

"Come on," Will said, pulling him toward the door. "We'll go watch it in my room."

Nico followed, picking up his black blanket to take with him. They crossed the hall and entered Will's room. Will told Nico to wait on the couch so he could go grab snacks, so Nico sat on the couch and waited. Meanwhile, he decided to examine the room.

It was similar to his own, now that he actually looked around. There was a couch in front of the fireplace and a TV above it. The bed was near the door, a chest at the end which most likely held extra bed sheets. A bathroom was off to the left side of the room, a dresser near it. The only differences between his room and Will were the decor and wall color.

Will came back in five minutes later, his arms full of chips and sodas. Nico took some things from his arms, helping him set everything down. Afterwards, Will put the movie in. They sat down, watching all the trailers that came on before the movie in silence. Then Will decided to talk.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Nico replied.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Nico was obviously irritated. Will could understand why he was so irritable, but he just wanted to be there for his friend. After debating if he should ask again, he dropped the subject and played the movie. About thirty minutes into the movie, there was a knock at the door. Will went to open it to reveal Bianca.

"Is Nico in here?" she asked Will.

"Yeah," he stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. He didn't want Nico to over hear him. "Why's he so upset?"

"He blames himself for our mother's death," she informed Will. "He thinks it's his fault she got so sick and died."

"But it's not."

"I know and I've been telling that for years," she exclaimed, and then sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's not his fault."

The last part she mumbled, but Will still heard it. He wished he knew what he could do so make Nico not feel guilty about it, but nothing came to mind.

"So..." Bianca said, pulling Will away from his thoughts. "What are you guys doing?"

"Watching a movie. I was hoping it would cheer him up."

Bianca smiled. "That's sweet of you," then she smirked and joked, "At least I'm not marrying a jerk."

She began to skip away, hearing Will call out, "Hey, I'm not allowed to make marriage jokes, but you are!" The only response he got was laughter. Once she was around the corner, Will went back into him, taking his seat beside Nico.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"B," Will answered. "She wanted to know where you were."

Nico nodded once, engrossed in the movie. Will found it slightly amusing; he didn't take Nico to be the musical type of person, yet here he was, loving the whole movie. During the scene where the father was singing, Will was tempted to sing to it as well, but decided against it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nico noticed the other boy's lips moving. It took him a moment to realize that he was lip singing the words to the song. He almost told Will to just sing it outloud, but then he realized that he'd been wanted to hear Will sing again. He blushed, telling himself to just avoid the thought.

It was near the end of the movie and Will felt something fall onto his shoulder. He turned to head to see Nico sleeping peacefully. He noticed how his mouth slightly parted and how his messy black hair fell into his face. Will brushed it out of his face, a small smile playing on his face. Not wanting to wake him up by moving him too much, Will lied down with Nico on his chest. He then took Nico's black blanket and pulled it over both of them.

It wasn't five minutes before Will was asleep, his arms wrapped around the smaller boy.


	22. Chapter 22

The next day, Nico had a doctor’s appointment. Bianca came along and waited in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. She had ordered the doctor to give her a full report of Nico’s physical state. The doctor, of course, promised the whole report as soon as he could get it out.

The doctor led Nico into the room where he’d be checked up on. The walls in the room were white and so was everything else in the room. In the prince’s opinion, it was too bright for him.

“The nurse will be right in to check up on you,” the doctor said, exiting the room.

Nico sighed, lying back onto the bed as he waited. He flung his right arm over his eyes in hope to keep the light from hurting his eyes, and, thankfully, it worked. Just as Nico was about to doze off, the door opened.

“Rise and shine, Ghost King. It’s time for a check up,” an all too familiar voice said. Nico raise his arm and opened one eye. Will stood beside the bed Nico was on. With a scoff of annoyance, the smaller boy simply rolled over, ignoring the blond prince. “Come on, Nico; it’s just a check up.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked. “Shouldn’t you be doing some princely duties?”

“Nope. I work in the hospital wind on Thursday’s.”

“Why?” Nico asked, completely confused as to why a prince would be working as a doctor.

“Remember when I told you I wanted to be a doctor when I was little? Well, my parents would let me help out around here, and even when I found out that I couldn’t be a doctor if I had the choice, I stuck around. I normally tail Dr. Yew around and he’ll give me something to do, such as your check up. Now,” Will reached over to the wall, pulling down the stethoscope, “take off your shirt so I can take you heart beat.”

Nico’s face redden and he began to find an excuse or a way out. “Can’t you do it with my shirt on?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Doctor’s order.”

“I’m not taking it off,” Nico told him stubbornly. “And you're not a doctor.”

Will grinned. “Would you like me to go get Bianca? I’m sure he’d be willing to help me out.”

Nico’s eyes widened, then his face turned red again. He glared at the other boy, mumbling, “Fine.”

With some struggle with his cast, he had removed his black shirt, revealing his pale chest. Beside the skin tone, Will immediately noticed how muscular he was. Both boys blushed, but neither one noticed the others; they were both looking away. Nico was embarrassed because he never had his shirt off in front of others. Will, on the other had, was blushing because he found it hard to look away.

Ripping himself from his thoughts, Will made his way to Nico to do his job. He told him when to breath in and out, writing down on his board every so often. In the end, Will concluded nothing was wrong.

“Alright,” Will finished, clicking his pen. “You can put your shirt back on.” Though I’d rather you not, Will thought to himself. He watched as Nico quickly grabbed his clothing and pulled it over his head.

A minute later, Will left the room going to find Dr. Yew. He found him talking to nurse at the front desk. When he saw the prince, he walked over to take the clipboard.

“So what else can I do?” Will asked as he watched the doctor flip through his notes. After a moment, he replied.

“Yep. Help me out with Prince Nico; his sister said he’s quite a handful and you two seem to get along well.”

“Dr. Yew, I--”

“Will,” the doctor said, addressing him by his name and not his title, “how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Michael.”

Will sighed. “Michael, I don’t think that’s the best idea. I mean--”

“Doctor’s orders,” Michael grinned. “Come on; it won’t be that bad.”

Will was about to protest more, but Michael was already walking away. He rolled his eyes, following after the doctor.

***

Nico was hoping he wouldn’t have to deal with Will the rest of day, but he showed up again in the doctor’s office. He felt embarrassed because of the event from earlier, making it hard for Nico to even look in his direction without his face heating up.

Once his appointment was over, he walked over to Bianca, ready to leave. Before he could drag her to the door, the doctor stopped the both of them to explain Nico’s health. He went into many details; reciting everything he had told Nico to Bianca. It was another twenty minutes before they left.

On the way back to their rooms, Bianca noticed Nico was a little flustered though he tried to hide it with his annoyance.

“What’s got your panties in a twist?”

“B, I don’t wear panties,” Nico retorted.

Bianca gave him an encouraging shove. “Please.”

Nico didn’t say anything for a second, debating if he should tell her or not. There was a good chance she would just tease him for it. In the end, he gave into her request. He mumbled what had happened.

“What?”

“I said,” Nico, repeated more clearly, “I had to take my shirt off in front of Will.”

“Okay… so?”

“It was weird. And awkward.”

As tempting as it was to tease her brother, Bianca decided against it. She knew that he’d get mad if she tried to make fun of him, so, instead, she stayed quiet. A very odd thing for her to do. Nico noticed her silence, and took as a bad thing. He soon became suspicious of what she was planning to do.

“How did he react?” she asked a few minutes later. The sudden break in the silence startled Nico, but only for a moment.

“What?”

“When you were shirtless,” she said. “How did Will react?”

“Uh…” Nico trailed off, recalling the event from an hour ago. Now that he thought about it, he might have seen Will blushing as hard as him. For a second, Nico believed that it must have been his mind playing tricks, but, the more he thought about it, the more he realized it was true. “Flustered, I guess.”

Bianca hid her smirk. “Okay. Just wondering.”

Nico caught mischief in her voice. It was hard to catch for most people, but for Nico, who had grown up with Bianca, knew the tone in her voice. She was plotting something, but what was it?

“B, what are you up to?”

“Nothing.”

“B,” Nico growled sternly.

Bianca giggled, suddenly running off. She knew that if she didn’t take off as soon as possible, Nico would catch her. Plus, she had already learned her way around the castle a little, meaning it would be easy to slip away from him.

“B!” Nico shouted, chasing after her. “Bianca, what are you going to do?”

He rounded the corner she had turned on to, only to find it deserted. Normally, he’d run after her, but he knew he’d get lost if he tried. He, being the person he was, was also lazy, and figured he’d learn out later. Even if he did catch her, he couldn’t do a single thing to stop her.

With a sigh, Nico turned around and took the route back to his room.


	23. Chapter 23

It had been three day since Nico's shoulder was checked out on. He could move it now, though it still sting. Doctor Yew said not to do too much with it till be said so. He hadn't really specified what he meant by too much, but Nico quickly found out when Hazel pulled on his arm.

Since then, Bianca and Will were both busy with royal wedding stuff. Because of that, they hadn't had time to hang out with Nico and Hazel much, leaving them both bored with nothing to do. Most the time, Nico would play with Hazel or read, but today the queen had offered to have the little girl off his hands. He agreed, hoping to have some time to himself, but now he was sitting in his room with nothing to do.

He was debating whether or not to find the library again for a book when Bianca came in. She didn't knock or ask if she could come in; she just did. Typical Bianca.

Nico sighed. "Hey, B."

"Well, don't you sound like a bundle of joy," she stated sarcastically, flopping down on the couch beside him.

"That's cause I'm bored."

She chuckled. "I can tell," she stood up, pulling him up with him. "Well, luckily for you, the king had summoned us to discuss the assassin situation."

Once again, he sighed, walking out the door. Bianca followed along, skipping as she did so. Will met them halfway to Apollo's office. He joined the little group on the way there. Five minutes later, the three children stood in front of the door. Will knock four times on the door, then opened it. Nico and Bianca looked at each other for a moment, shrugged, and followed Will in.

The room was fairly large. There was a desk in front of a window. In Front of the desk, three chairs were placed, which Nico assumed was for the three of them. To the left of the room was a fire place with two more chairs and a table in between. Beside both sides of the fireplace were shelves full of books. The walls were painted gold, shining at every angle the light could touch.

"Come on you three. Sit down. Naomi should be here any minute." Just as he said it, the queen entered.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized. She walked over and pecked Apollo on the check. "I had to take Hazel back to her nanny."

"That's alright, dear. Please, sit," he stood up from his chair, offering it to her. She refused at first, but Apollo instead. In the end, she sat in his chair behind the desk.

Bianca thought it was the most adorable thing in the world. Will was used to it, so he didn't think twice about it. Nico was caught in between; he found it nice and caring, but at the same time, gross and cheesey.

Apollo pulled up another chair, beginning the meeting.

"As all of us know, a close family member of ours has chosen to do a very bad thing. We don't know why he did this, so we were wondering if you three would have any ideas. You all meet Octavian."

"Actually, I didn't," Nico peeped.

"You didn't?"

Nico shook his head. "No. Why would I have?"

Before Apollo could answer, Bianca spoke up. "He was one of my potential suitors. He came to the castle for a few days. You were visiting Uncle Zeus for trading negotiations."

"That crazy bastard was in our home?" Nico nearly shouted in a foreign language so the other didn't know what they were talking about.

"Nico, not now," Bianca hushed him. "We'll talk about it later."

Nico slouched down, pouting. Bianca waved it off, apologizing for her brother's behavior. She then indulged them all into the story of her past with Octavian.

"It was a little over a year ago," she explained. "My father had invited him for a visit in hopes to negotiate an agreement over money. He had asked me to help out a little, so I did. In the process, Octavia developed feelings. He... he tried to ask my father for my hand in marriage."

"What!" everyone in the room exclaimed. Bianca turned red and nodded.

"Unfortunately, yes. He did and my father denied. He must have felt humiliated and now he's after revenge."

Nico, not know how to react, stood up and started pacing the room. He ran a hand through his hair as he thought about the new information. Will watched him, and Apollo stared off, also thinking about what he had heard.

"Why though?" Naomi whispered to herself. "Why would he do this?"

The king and queen sat in disbelief, trying to process the new knowledge. Bianca snapped them out by asking them what their plan would be.

"We need to set up a situation so lure him out," Apollo said. "Except he can't know that it's a trap."

"But how?" Bianca asked.

"A ball?" Will suggested.

"But for what reason? If a random ball is held, then it will look suspicious."

"A birthday ball?" Nico added, hoping to get some

"Last I checked no one has a birthday will September."

The king nodded, seeing her point. They all thought a little more before Apollo spoke his idea.

"It's a little risky, but Open Palace Day is coming up next month. Octavian will use that as opportunity for sure. Naomi and I were thinking about canceling the day because of these recent events, but we could use it to our advantage."

The queen stared at him wide eyed. "Apollo, we'd be putting innocent citizens at risk. Think about the dangers this will cause. What if someone get hurt?"

"I did say it was risky for a reason," he argued back with a little attitude. Before a real fight could break out, Bianca spoke.

"I think it would be worth the risk," Bianca thought outloud. Everyone's attention was turned to her. "Be then, Nico will be healed and be able to wield his sword. Now, I'm not an expert on what happens at these type of events, but there's activities. I could have my bow there and show some of the people how to shot. Therefore, I have a weapon in case my guard of here has some trouble." She nudged Nico at the end, not knowing she had hit his bad arm. He flinched, but it was nearly unnoticeable. Will noticed though.

"Yeah," Nico agreed. "That's a great idea. Plus, your security is better than the ones at home, so I'm not as worried. Though he still have to think about Hazel."

"That's true," the queen said. "We'll make sure she's safe and far away from where the action could be."

Bianca and Nico looked at each other. With a simple nod, they both agreed that was the best decision.

Apollo sighed, folding his hands together. "Now, down to some other business."


	24. Chapter 24

It was a week after they had all had the meeting about the assassin. Nico was now able to move his shoulder for freely than he had been able to the past few weeks. The second Dr. Yew gave him the okay; he went to practice his sword fighting.

Today Bianca and Will had an interview with a popular magazine company about their engagement. Nico had to come along and act as Bianca’s body guard due the agreement they had made with Hades. Nico didn’t mind tagging along, though he knew he’d be a third wheel the whole time.

The interview started at eleven and later that same day they all had a photoshoot for that same magazine. All the children were required to go it, none of them really looking forward to it.

At ten, Nico, Bianca, and Will piled into the carriage that they were taking to studio. On the way there, Will and Bianca went over the questions that they would most likely be asked. The queen had made up some note cards of the top twenty most asked questions for them. The two kids didn’t complain about it in front of her, but in the carriage that was a different story.

“These questions are stupid,” Bianca sated, tossing the chard she was holding to Will. “Why are people so curious about our lives, anyway?”

“I don’t know,” Will answered, though it wasn’t supposed to be answered. “But what are we going to say about how we met? We can’t just say that we met a month and a half ago.”

“We lie.”

“And do we have that lie planed out?”

“Yeah,” she leaned back, resting her eyes as she spoke. “We met two years ago at ball or dance, or whatever you want to call it, and we’ve kept in touch since. We didn’t meet in public often, but eventually,” she faked a sappy love voice, “we fell in love now we’re getting married.”

Nico tried to hold back a grin, but it appeared on his face. Bianca, without even opening her eyes, knew the face Nico had on. She kicked his shin, causing him to shout.

“What the heck, B!”

She smirked, not knowing what was about to happen. Nico reached over and hit her head. From then on, it was a battle between the siblings. Will tried to stop them before it got too intense, but it was too late; they were locked in battle with one another.

“Is this what sibling are really like?” he asked himself, avoiding Bianca’s hand from hitting his face.

Finally, Bianca lifted her foot to Nico’s chest and pushed him back against his seat. He struggled to overpower her, but failed.

“Now,” she said sternly, “no more fighting, kay?”

“Fine,” Nico grumbled, throwing her foot off of him and pouting. He looked out the window, not speaking another word. Bianca rolled her eyes at her younger brother, focusing her gaze out the window. Will glanced between the two before he folded his hands in his lap and looked out the window as well.

The carriage pulled up in front of the building. The three children exited their way of transportation and quickly entered the building. There wasn’t a crowd waiting for them, which was a good sign; it meant the interview was extremely secure and less likely to have an assassin waiting around. Unless, of course, the assassin was waiting inside. Nico kept his guard up.

Bianca and Will were escorted into a makeup room where makeup artist were applying pounds of powder on their face. This was a normal routine for thing such as this, but that didn’t mean they had to enjoy it. The powder that was like a cloud around them caused Bianca to sneeze and Will to cough. It was another moment where Nico was glad he didn’t have to go through this struggle.

Nico stood outside the door, looking straight ahead, emotionless as any guard would be. He was acknowledged by people passing, but he didn’t respond to any of them. He was only to respond to his sister, seeing as though he was there to protect her. He was there for Will as well, of course, but his main priority was B.

“Nico,” Bianca called out when they finished applying her makeup. “They want to know if you want to be in the interview as well.”

“No,” Nico shook his head. There were multiple reasons why, but he only said one. “I need to be ready to protect you if You-Know-Who shows up.”

She rolled her eyes, joking, “I doubt Lord Voldemort is going to show up.”

Both kids grinned for a moment before being escorted into the interview area. Will was already sitting there, waiting in one of the chairs for them. He looked to be making small talk with the interviewer.

The interviewer was a young lady with frizzy red hair and green eyes. Compared to everyone was else in the room, she was short; even shorter than Nico which came as a surprise to him. He assumed that whoever it was would be taller than him.

“Hello, your highness,” she greeted, gesturing for them to have a seat. Nico stood behind the cameras so he wouldn’t be seen by them. “I’m Mallory. I’ll be interviewing you guys for the magazine. So, before we start, is there anything in particular you’d like to cover?”

Both Will and Bianca shook their heads no. They all readjusted themselves in their seats before starting to record the video. Mallory asked the first few basic questions.

“When did you meet?”

Bianca took the lead with most questions, and allowed Will to add the smaller details. “Three years ago at the annual summer ball back at home.”

“Yep, and Bianca was the most beautiful person there,” Will said, forcing everyone ounce of fake love into his expression and voice. “I knew I just had to meet her before the night was over.”

“Wonderful,” Mallory scribbled in her notes sitting in her lap, moving onto the next question.

The next thirty minutes were similar to that. They were asked questions that were easy to fake. That was until a curve ball was thrown at them.

“And moving onto the fan questions.”

“Wait, fan questions?” B asked, curious as to what she meant.

“Yes. We asked the fans on Twitter what why wanted to know, so we have a few. Is there a problem with that?”

“No,” Will answered. “It’s just unexpected, is all.”

“Anyway, first question: how many kids?”

Bianca laughed, Will soon joining in.

“Haven’t talked about it much,” Will confessed, which was the truth. He didn’t want to anger Bianca by bringing up the subject of children. “Not many, I’m expecting.”

“Two or three. Four at most,” B asked, her hand slightly twitching in her lap. She always hated the idea of having children. It’s not that she didn’t like them; it was the idea of what you’d have to go through in order to have one. And she wasn’t talking about the labor part.

“Well, do you have any names in mind?”

“Maria, after my mother,” Bianca truthfully said.

“That’s sweet!” Mallory exclaimed. “Last question” Have you two had your first kiss yet?”

Will turned red, and nervously laughed. B did as well just so they didn’t give it up.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Will said, a smirk playing on his lips.

The three who were sitting in front of the camera concluded the video before saying their goodbyes. Nico followed behind Will and Bianca was they were escorted back outside to the carriage. By now, it was nearly one. They still had another two hours before they’d be back for the photoshoot.

“Where can we get some food?” Nico asked Will. They needed a place to eat without people finding out who they were and without any chance of a certain assassin.

“There’s a place. I’ve got it reservations already,” Will told them.

The carriage took off, leading them away from the studio that they’d be returning to shortly.

***

The carriage pulled up behind a building. The three of them looked out the window, waiting for the back door open. When it did, a young woman came out. Her hair caramel colored hair was braided over her shoulder and she wore a simple white t-shirt and jeans. When she spotted Will, her brown eyes lit up.

“Well, hurry it up! Don’t want to be noticed,” she told them.

Will smiled, opening the door and in through the entrance behind the girl. Bianca followed, Nico trailing not far behind. When they entered, they found themselves in the back of a kitchen. People moved about, though they didn’t seem to be doing much. It must have been a slow day.

The girl came back in seconds later, and everyone hurried to look as though they were busy. Nico notice the eye roll she gave to the other workers. She gestured for the three to follow, walking out the other room. The small group was led out of the kitchen, into a small dining area and up a flight of stairs. There, they found a room that was already set up for them. The girl closed the door and introduced herself.

“Name’s Calypso. Nice to meet you all,” she greeted, holding a hand out for Nico and Bianca.

They greeted her the same way, all except her Will. Calypso had pulled him into a bear hug and scolded him for not stopping by sooner.

“I haven’t seen you in three months, and then you randomly call me up and say you’re stopping by with your fiancé and her brother. At least call me and catch me up so you don’t have to do it all at once.”

Will gave his friend a smile. “Sorry. I’ve been a bit busy.”

“So I’ve heard. Now give me all the details.”

“After food.”

“After food,” she agreed.

All four sat down to enjoy their meal. Calypso took her time, savoring each bit. Meanwhile, the others dug in like a pack of hungry wolves. Somehow, even after eating all the food on the table, all three of the guests were still hungry. Calypso rolled her eyes, ordering more food up. Will decided to catch her up in the meantime.

He started from the morning he learned about his engagement and all the way up till now. He only told of the important thing that was common knowledge. That meant he left out the personal stuff he had learned about the di Angelo's and their family.

Will did his best to avoid bringing up the assassin, as well as to whom it was, but Calypso was dying to know.

The three glanced at each other, all silently debating on what to do. Calypso caught onto it, starting to guess at to who the threat might be. The boys took turns, replying with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Then Calypso said something none of them were expecting.

“Is his weapon of choice a dagger?”

“Yes,” Nico answered.

“Rich?”

“You could say that,” Will replied.

A smirk appeared on her face. “Count Octavian.”

All three stopped what they were doing. Without them saying a word, Calypso knew she was right. Nico stood abruptly, pulling out his sword. Will tried to stop him, though his protest didn’t help. Bianca also tried to stop her brother, but knew he fight if this girl -- this sweet, innocent looking girl -- even attempted to harm his sister or Will.

“How the hell do you know?” he growled.

A loud bang came from the door and the knob rattled. Whoever was on the other side had obviously heard the commotion and came to check up on them. No one moved, for a moment, and the room is silent. Finally, Calypso calls for the person to go away.

“It’s nothing. Go back to the kitchens.”

“But--”

“I said, go back to the kitchens!” she repeated, but louder. A minute later, they heard footsteps echoing down the hall. Calypso turned back to the others.

“I’m familiar with that so called ‘Count’. He would often stop by to brag about his family line and remind me of the debt my father left for me.” She paused, letting out a noise of frustration. “Oh, how he loved to remind me. Up till around the time the engagement went public, he’d come in. The last time he was here, he was boasting about some revenge he was planning to take. He said someone had led him on, only to shoot him down in the end.”

“So you knew he was going after my sister?” Nico questioned, the grip on his sword tightening.

“No! No, I didn’t know he’d be going after a princess, or really anyone of high power. That idiot always spoke about getting back at someone, so I assumed that this was no different; that he was just ranting and bluffing. If I had known it was you, I would’ve gone to the authorities.”

The three began to process the information. Will and Bianca relaxed almost immediately, though it took Nico a bit of debating with himself before he put his sword down. And, despite putting his weapon down, he was still on edge. Very much, on edge.

Bianca was the first to speak. “Calypso, is there any you know that would help us take him down? Anything at all?”

She chuckled. “He’s an arrogant fool who is simply wounded by insults. Hurt his pride, you hurt him. Try to dig up all the dirt on him and you’re almost guaranteed to win.”


	25. Happy Valentine's Day (re-upload)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like always with these shorts, it doesn't effect the rest of the plot/story. This one also takes place in the PJO universe (for once). Sorry it's up late. Lot of stuff going on. Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day with whom ever you spent it with. Unless your like me and ate candy, read fan fics, and told your friends you'll be with (insert fictional character).
> 
> I also had to re-upload the chapter because it for some reason didn't copy and paste all the way over. Don't know why. Just didn't.

Nico awoke at an early hour of the morning, an unusual thing for him to do while at Camp Half-Blood. Normally he'd sleep for ten hours, and would probably sleep longer if someone hadn't come to wake him up. Half the time he'd lock the cabin door, but then someone would sneak through the window, so he had stopped locking the door just to save him or her the trouble.

Upon realizing that he wouldn't be falling back asleep any time soon, Nico decided to shower before having to interact with anyone. He picked up his normal attire of dark jeans and a solid black shirt before entering the bathroom.

The shower Nico took was long and warm. He tended to take long showers, but today he took an extremely long one. It was like he was trying to make up for the extra hour of sleep he was missing. Regardless of the reason, Nico enjoyed the warm water hitting him, washing away the soap.

After the long shower was over, Nico quickly dried himself, sliding on his pants. He reached for his skull ring that was normally on the counter, though he didn't find it. Looking around, he realized it must have slipped off in his sleep. Sighing, he opened the door, returning to his bed for the jewelry. Once he had found it, he slid it back on and stood back up, meeting a familiar set of red eyes. Nico yelped, startled at the sudden appearance of another being in the room.

"Hello again, Nico," the god Eros greeted, smirking. "Did I startle you?"

Nico glared, reaching into the bathroom for his shirt. "What do you want?"

Eros faked a wounded expression. "Do I need an excuse to visit my favorite son of Hades?"

"I'm the lonely son of Hades."

"That's beside the point," Eros said, twirling an arrow of love in his hand. Nico glanced at, fearing for what the god had in mind. "Tell me, Nico. Do you know what day it is?"

Nico frowned his eyebrows. "Uh, the fourteenth."

"Yes, but of what month?"

"February. It's February fourteenth."

"And that is...?"

"A Tuesday?" Nico guessed.

Eros rolled his red eyes. "It's Valentine's Day."

"Oh," Nico gulped. "What does that have to do with me?"

A smirk appeared on the man's face, worrying Nico a little. "Tell me about the child of Apollo. Will Solace, I believe his name is."

Nico's face turned red. "I don't like him. Not like that."

"Really? Because your heart beat is telling me otherwise."

A silence fell over the room. A long, heavy silence. Neither of them moved, spoke, or barely blinked. Suddenly, Eros clapped, causing Nico to jump from the sudden noise.

"It's Valentine's Day! Lighten up, would you? It's the perfect day to proclaim your love. There are countless ways to go about it as well. Cards, roses, a box of chocolates. Just tell me how you want to go about it and I'll get it for you."

Nico blushed again, harder this time. "I already told you; I don't like him like that."

"Ah," Eros sighed, looking at the arrow in his hand. "Still in the stage of denial, I see. Well, only one thing to do then."

Pulling the bow off his shoulder, Eros notched the arrow he had been holding, aiming it at Nico. Nico backed up against the wall, wishing his sword were on him. Unfortunately for him, it was across the room by the door.

"W-What are you doing?" Nico asked, terrified of the position they were in.

"Helping you out," Eros smiled, letting the arrow fly.

The love arrow the young boy right above the heart, disintegrating into a poof of pink smoke and the smell of roses. Nico waved his hand through the air, coughing while doing so.

"What the hell?" Nico mumbled. Just as he did, the magic from the arrow began to hit him.

Nico straightened up, running to the bathroom to prepare him for the day once again. He had the sudden urge to make sure he looked stunning for a certain someone. While the child of Hades got ready, Eros slung the bow over his shoulder again, grinning.

"Looks like my work here is done."

Seconds later, the god disappeared, leaving behind the same thing as this magical arrow had done. But Nico hadn't noticed. He was too busy finding a better shirt.

*** Nico left Cabin 13 after everyone had already headed out for breakfast. As he made his way there, Nico smiled, humming to himself. When he arrived, he received a few odd looks from everyone, but he didn't acknowledge them. He sat down at his table, filling up his plate. A few minutes later, Will came and sat across from him like every other morning. "Hay," Will smiled. "You seem happy today." "That's cause I am." "Care to share?" "You'll find out later," Nico hinted, biting into his toast. "What's up with the shirt?" Nico didn't have to look down to see what Will was referencing. He was wearing a shirt with all the colors of the rainbow. Not many people knew about Nico's sexuality, and the few that did were sworn to secrecy till Nico was ready to publicize it. "Just felt like embracing who I am today." Will's smile grew bigger. "I'm glad to hear that." The two began to eat their morning meal, making small talk every so often. Will informed Nico that a few of siblings were working the infirmary today, so he was free to spend the day with him. Nico, if possible, brightened up even for. "Meet me at camp border in two hours," Nico grinned, standing up. "Why?" "You'll see." Will shook his head. "What's up with you today?" Nico laughed, bidding farewell to Will before running off. He quickly entered his cabin, picking up a small pouch of drachma's and a few dog biscuits for later. Once he had everything he needed, he headed to Hermes cabin in search for the two certain boys. Travis and Conner were the only ones inside when Nico appeared at the door. The two brothers were in the middle of discussing something when they noticed Nico. At first they were curious as to what the son of Hades was doing there, but then they noticed what he was holding. "What can we help you with, Nico?" Travis smiled. "I need a few things, and quick." "Sure thing," the other replied. "Name it and we've got it." "Okay. I'll need a bouquet of roses, not a big one necessarily, and some mortal money." "How much?" Conner asked, reaching for the stash of money hidden under his bed. "Like fifty, I think." "And when do you need to roses by?" "In an hour or so." "Got'cha. We'll have them dropped by at your cabin in thirty minutes." Conner handed Nico the money in exchange for the drachmas. On his way out, he thanked the brothers, pocketing the money. Now all that was left was to wait. *** Will ran up the hill, searching for the child of Hades. It hadn't dawned on him till now where exactly they were supposed to meet up. All he knew was that Nico would be at the border. Luckily, due to his shirt, the shorter boy was easier to find today. Will jogged over the Nico, a bright smile plastered to his face like usual. "So, what are we doing up here?" Will asked. "Happy Valentine's Day!" Nico beamed, handing Will the small bouquet of flowers. Will blushed, accepting them without a moment of hesitation. "What are these for?" he asked, examining the colorful and pretty pieces of nature. "For you, of course," Nico mumbled, wrapping his arms around Will's neck, causing him to blush even more. "Will you be my valentine?" Will nodded furiously, squeaking out a yes. "Good. Now let's go!" "Go where?" "To the movies. Where else?" "How?" Will asked, only to be answered by a whistle. The sound of loud panted was heard coming from the somewhere on the other side of the hill. A minute later, Mrs O'Leary was in sight, barreling toward the two of them. Will backed out of the way, allowing the large dog to lick Nico's head. Unlike most times, Nico didn't try to stop her. "Nice to see you, too, girl," Nico laughed. "Now let's go." Nico hopped onto his giant hellhound, lending a and out for Will. Will gladly took it, enjoying Nico's upbeat mood. He didn't act like this often, so Will just wanted to make last as long as possible, no matter what the coast was. *** It wasn't till they had taken off did Will realize how much he disliked this mode of transportation. He almost fell off a few times and had practically squeezed the air out of Nico, though the smaller boy didn't seem annoyed. In fact, he seemed for amused at the situation. They arrived in New York City, choosing a random theater. They agreed on a movie, entering the darkened room with their snacks and sodas. Nico pulled Will to the back, claiming it was the best spot. By the time the movie started, they realized how empty the theater was. During one of the most touching parts of the movie, Will glanced over at Nico. He looked to be enjoying himself. Will's eyes traveled from his face and down to his hand resting on the armrest. He debated if he should reach out and hold Nico's pale, cold hand. Luckily for him, he didn't need to think about it any longer. Nico had felt his stare and caught a glance of Will's thinking face. To stop him from thinking any further, Nico grabbed his hand, not even trying to hide his smile. Will interlocked their fingers, happy s could be. Seconds later, Nico rested his head against Will's arm. Neither of them moved till the movie was done, and that was only so they could leave the theater with their extra popcorn. "You want to head back yet?" Nico asked as they left the building. "No," Will confessed. "Then where to?" "Any where's fine with me." "Okay," was the entire smile boy said, reaching for Will's hand again without a care in the world. The two walked around for a while, hand in hand. They stopped every so often to look at something or just so they could rest their feet. Eventually, they stopped and sat down near Cleopatra's Needle. "So," will started once they were sitting, "what's really up with you today?" "Nothing," Nico laughed. "Do I need a reason to be happy?" "Nico," Will said in a serious tone, grabbing both his hands. "I'm happy you're happy but can you tell me why?" "Because of you Will," Nico smiled, leaning forward. The next few words slipped out of his mouth without a thought. "I love you." "W-what?" Will stuttered, becoming a blushing mess. "I love you," Nico repeated just as he had seconds ago. Before Will could say anything else, Nico leaned forward again, press his lips to Will's. Will kissed back, shocked but overjoyed. When they pulled away, Nico was still smiling, but it slowly started to fade. He blinked rapidly, looking around, then back at Will. The son of Apollo looked at him, confused at Nico's actions. "Will, what are we doing here?" Will's eyebrows frowned. "What do you mean? You asked me out, remember?" Nico's eyes widened in shock. "I did what! How--," he cut himself off, muttering the name of the one who had done this. "Eros. That little-- urg!" Will looked away from Nico, now heartbroken when he realized that Eros was behind all this. It was just some trick the gods were playing for their own amusement. Nico noticed Will's hurt expression and immediately went to comfort him. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean, it like that. I just--" "It's fine," Will stopped him, hurt clear in his voice. "You don't have to act like it wasn't something big. If the gods want to prank us, let them." Nico's jaw dropped. "No, no; it's nothing like that," he paused, blushing at the reasoning that he'd be letting out in a minute. "I-I've liked you for a-awhile now, s-so I guess Eros choose to make me con-confess." "Oh..." Will trailed off, blushing as well. "So, you do like me?" "Y-yes," Nico muttered, looking at his feet to hide his blush. Will smiled, reaching for Nico's hand. Nico held back, his checks how red. Will raised Nico's cool hand to his lips, placing a small kiss on his knuckles. "I like you, too." "Good," Nico said, now back to normal. He also seemed a little distracted by something, but before Will could asked, Nico said what was on his mind. "Now can you explain to me why the hell I'm wearing this shirt?"


	26. Chapter 25

The day had finally arrived. The palace was open for anyone who wished to visit. Men, women and children were everywhere. Families strolled through the gardens, some took tours of the palace, and others were participating in activities that were set up. At the moment, Bianca and Nico were at the archery area. Off near by, a small arts and crafts tent was set up for the smaller kids. Hazel was there with four guards sent to keep her safe. Will was running all over the place, introducing himself personally to all the guest. Guards were with him as well, but he didn't seem the slightest bit worried about his own safety' he was more concerned for the children of Hades.

Will had taken a break from the crowd to come stand by Nico. They both watched as Bianca taught a girl who looked around the age of twelve how to use a bow. The first arrow missed, and the girl ran off to retrieve it. Bianca laughed, warning her to be careful. She noticed the boys standing a little ways to the side, quickly jogging over to see what they were up to.

"See anything suspicious?" she asked the both of them.

"Nothing," Will informed. "I've asked the other guards, but they haven't seen anything. Aunt Artemis showed up with her best hunters. Most are undercover though."

"Hunters?" Nico asked, not having the term before.

"It's what she calls her little army of soldiers. A majority of them are girls though and come in all ages."

"Really?" Bianca questioned. "Like what ages?"

"From young to old. Some are--"

"How do we know which hunters are your aunt's?" Nico asked, wanting to get to the point.

"They're all wearing something with a moon crescent and a star. And, from the one's I've seen, they also have a silver weapon like your bow," he gestured to Bianca's bow slung over her shoulder.

"Wait," Bianca said, looking back over at the girl she had been with earlier. The girl had seemed to disappear. "That girl had a necklace with a moon and star."

Will nodded. "That was one of them."

"But she's twelve. Tha--"

Nico gestured over to another little kid looking for an archery instructor. She glared at Will with the look of 'We'll talk about this later," running over the kid who needed help. Will looked at Nico with pleading eyes, asking for explanation. Nico just shrugged, being of no help to the young prince.

"I feel sorry for you," Nico admitted with a smirk. "You have to marry her."

"You don't like the idea either!"

"True. That is true. When did you last check up on Hazel?" Nico changed the subject.

"Right before I came here. Everything seemed fine."

Nico nodded, scanning the area again. "Good."

Will looked down at his watch, checking the time. "Bianca and I have to leave here in about ten minutes and start acting like a couple for the rest of the day."

Nico glanced over at where Hazel was, worried for her safety. Will noticed, patting his shoulder for reassurance. Just as Will opened his mouth to say something, Nico noticed something odd.

Two guards that were meant to be guarding Hazel had start walking away from their post, a fanatic expression hidden on their faces. Nico narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Will, get Bianca," Nico ordered, placing a hand on his sword as he made his way over to the booth. Will, without a word, did as he was told.

Nico quickly made his way over, unnoticed by anyone else. It seemed like everyone else was too busy having fun to notice Nico, who was dressed as a bodyguard, walking over to a booth with a focused expression. He entered the tent, his eyes searching for a little girl with frizzy hair and golden eyes. It was crowded with many other children, making it a little more difficult to find the princess. Bianca and Will arrived seconds later, looking around franticly for any signs of danger.

"She's not here," Nico whispered just low enough for the other two to hear. Without anyone stopping him, he walked over to the other two guards who were assigned to protect Hazel.

"Where is she?" Nico growled. The two guards bowed their heads in shame, admitting to their mistake.

"She seemed to have slipped away when we weren't looking, your highness," the first one admitted.

"And you didn't think to inform any one?"

"We sent the other two to find her," the other said. "Once they find her, they're going to bring her back here."

"So you weren't going to report this to the royal family?" Bianca hissed, just as mad as Nico was. Upon closer inspection, she realized something. "Wait... my father sent you, didn't he? That crest on your sword is of our county."

Nico looked to. She was right; their family crest was imprinted on their swords. Nico glared up at them, gripping onto to his sword till his knuckles turned white. He was angry enough to run them through at this moment.

"Did Octavian show his face in here?" Nico asked through clenched teeth.

The first guards swallowed, shaking his head. "Not that I'm aware of."

Nico stormed out of the tent, looking around for the blonde haired bastard. From the first glance, he found nothing, so he took off, leaving the other two to follow. They did, their weapons in hand. As the three royals navigated through the crowds, they were stopped countless times and forced to ignore them. It may have seemed rude at the time, but hopefully they'd understand later.

"Where the hell could he be?" Nico shouted in frustration once they were in a more secluded area. He kicked a nearby wooden box, letting out a little frustration. "I swear if he lays a hand on her, I'm going to fu--"

"Okay," Bianca hushed, placing both hands on his shoulder. "Look, Nico, everything's going to be fine. Nothings going to happen to Hazel."

"But what if..."

"No 'what if's', understood? We can't think like that right now."

Nico nodded, taking a deep breath. The two siblings shared a calming smile, though their moment was cut short by a high pitched scream. All three turned their head in the direction of the noise, recognizing it immediately.

It was Hazel's scream, no doubt.

Nico was the first to break into a sprint, fighting against the crowd trying to get away from whatever was happening. Meanwhile, Bianca and Will followed, just as worried as Nico was. When they arrived they saw exactly who they were looking for as well as another person who they didn't wish to see.

Octavian was standing on a crate with Hazel pinned to his side and a dagger held to her throat. Hazel was struggling against his hold, crying out for help. When she saw her older siblings coming, she cried louder, knowing they'd come to her rescue.

"Let her go now!" Nico demanded, pulling out his sword. The look in his eyes was unmistakable; if it was needed, Nico was prepared to kill him without a moment of hesitation.

Octavian snorted, pressing his weapon closer to the little girl. "Why should I? If I do, I'll be killed, so I might as well get my revenge first."

"What for?" Bianca asked, pure rage in her voice. "Even if you get your damn revenge it's not going to get you anywhere. All it's going to do is get you a death sentence."

"That may be, but at least your family will have paid for the humiliation they've brought to my family."

"That was all you're doing," Will stepped in. "How would your parents react if they knew what you were doing?"

"Doesn't matter," the cruel man spat. "They're dead."

"You're acting like that time I beat you in chest when we were ten. I remember you tackled me and held a fork to my neck. The guards had to pull you off me and drag you to my dad, kicking and screaming."

Octavian glared. "We were kids."

"What about the time you came to visit my father for that business deal?" Bianca stepped in. "You kept trying to prove you were better than everyone else, so my father made you dance the chicken dance in a chicken costume while we ate dinner that night."

His face turned red in embarrassment, not speaking a word. Will added a story similar to that, and then Bianca said another. The two built off one another till Octavian finally had enough.

"Whatever," he shouted, pointing his blade at the three in front of them. "I'll be having the last laugh when the day's over."

He raised his dagger, ready to bring it back down. Hazel let out an ear-piercing scream, shutting her eyes, hopping the weapon would somehow vanish before it hit her. The crowd that had gathered at some point cried out for him to stop. Bianca and Nico both charged, leaving Will in shock.

Then, out of nowhere, something came flying through the air, hitting the crazed man in the face. Octavian fell backwards, off the crate he was on, his dagger falling out of his hand. In the process, Hazel slipped out of his grip, falling forward.

Nico sprinted over, pushing Hazel behind himself and toward their older sibling. Without looking over, Nico knew that Bianca already had Hazel in her arms and was taking her elsewhere. Nico strode over to where Octavian was, glaring down at him. Before he could stand back up, Nico kicked his head. Once he was flat on his back, the black haired boy stepped on his chest, pointing the tip at his throat.

"You're lucky I don't slit your throat open right now," Nico growled, his hands shaking with anger. Two guards rushed over, pushing Nico off, and cuffing Octavian before leading him to a cell. Looking around, Nico found Will holding something.

"Hair brush," Will noted, holding it up. "He was hit with a blue plastic hairbrush." He chuckled. "Funny that he'll be remembered as that."

They both laughed lightly, letting the tension slowly evaporate. The light laugh soon turned into a hysterical one, both of them doubling over and holding their stomach's in pain.

"Your highnesses," someone spoke. Both boys calmed down, looking up. Standing there were two girls. One with back hair braided to the side and a moon and star necklace. One of Artemis's Hunters. The other had bright red hair, untamed and wild with a paint stained shirt on.

"This is Rachel Elizabeth Dare," the Hunter announced. "She's the one who threw that hair brush you're holding."

"Thank you," Will said to both of them. "Though you'll both have to come in for questioning."

"I can not. Strict orders from my lady. We must be kept a secret from the public."

"I'm sure my aunt will understand if--"

The girl raised a hand, silencing him. "Speak with my lady before you try to force me into anything. I took an oath, and I shall live by it till my final breath. I must be off now."

"Wait," Nico stopped her by grabbing her arm. She glared, but Nico kept hold. "What's your name?"

"Zoe," she spat, ripping her arm from his grip. "Zoe Nightshade."

***

Will waited outside the interrogation room with Rachel. Nico had gone off to find his sisters, which everyone expected him to do, of course. He promised to be back as soon as possible, but Will made sure that wouldn't happen. He texted Bianca to make sure Nico stayed with them for the rest of the day.

Rachel sat in a chair, tapping her foot on the floor and hairbrush against her hand. Will leaned against the wall, debating if he should excuse himself to get them both a coffee. He was about to when Rachel sudden spoke.

"If you don't mind me requesting this," Rachel had started, " but can I see him later?"

Will raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"We used to friends when he were little. My dad kind took him in for a year after his parent's died."

Will looked at her, observing her features. Then it all clicked. He remembered her.

"So you're the Rachel Octavian always talked about," he stated.

"What?" Rachel asked, slightly blushing.

Will smirked. Apparently she wasn't aware of the crush Octavian had once had for the girl.

"Yep. He would always talk about you and your drawings."

"Oh," she said, frowned, now on the verge of tears. Will patted her back, looking around for a box of tissues. "I'm fine," she claimed. "He's just made some really bad choices."

Will sighed, nodding his head in understanding. The door to the investigation room opened and Rachel entered. Will stayed outside, waiting for the outcome.


	27. Chapter 26

An hour or so later, the interrogation had ended. Will entered the room where Rachel was staying, two coffees in hand. He handed one of them to red haired girl who gladly accepted it. After taking a few sips, they set down their cups and remained silent.

"So," Will mumbled. "How'd it do?"

"Fine," Rachel whispered, moving her drink between her hands. Will looked up to examine her face. Her eyes were slightly puffy from cry. He glanced at the wastebasket near the table seeing a few used tissues tossed in. "Just stressful, I guess."

Will nodded, opening his mouth to say something, but the door opening cut him off. Both the kids looked up to see a guard. He bowed to Will before turning to Rachel.

"The king and queen would like to see you," he informed her. Rachel nodded, standing up.

"Am I allowed to come?" Will asked.

"Of course, your highness."

The guard escorted them to the office of King Apollo's. Inside, were Will's parents, of course, as well as Nico. Will rushed over, asking about the girls.

"Are they okay? Why aren't you with them?" Will asked quietly.

"They're fine. Hazel's shaken up, but other than that everything's fine."

"But why aren't you with them?" Will asked again.

Nico narrowed his eyes. "There are more important things to worry about. Like what we do with that mad man."

By the desk they heard a choked sob. Will crossed the room, pulling Rachel into a hug. He glared at Nico over his shoulder, only to earn a cold stare. Without speaking a word, they knew they'd discuss this later.

Naomi poured a small cup of tea and a box of tissues before setting it down in front of the girl and patting her back. Rachel had gently pulled them off, whipping her eyes off. She turned to Apollo, politely asking why she was there.

"I was told you were the one to stop Octavian, correct?"

"Yes."

He and his wife exchanged a glance. Noami nodded, telling him to continue.

"For your noble deed, we, my wife and I, would like to make you high duchess."

Rachel blinked a few times, wondering if she had heard right. "What?"

Apollo chuckled lightly. Rachel stood up from pushing the hair out of her face while pacing. The other four in the room watched her till she finally paused, looking at the king.

"How much power would that give me?" the room was silent for a moment, before it dawned on her what she had said. "I'm sorry. That came out wrong. I meant--"

"No, no," Apollo said. "It's fine. What kind of power are you talking about?"

"The kind that lessens a person's punishment."

Apollo rubbed his chin, thinking, trying to figure out what the girl was trying to get out. The queen seemed to be thinking the same. Nico was puzzled as well. Will was the only one who seemed to have an idea of what she was thinking.

"Like... like one that will spare their life?"

Apollo sighed, realizing what her motive was. "You're speaking of Octavian?"

Rachel hesitantly nodded. Behind her, Nico tensed where he stood. The others, not including Rachel, noticed the young boy's anger rise. Apollo and Naomi shared a glance, then one with their son. Silently, they nodded toward Nico, asking him to escort both of them out. Once both the boys were out, Apollo focused completely on the subject in hand.

"Trust me, Rachel, we don't want to see him dead either, but there are others involved. The di Angelo's and Hades will push for a more harsh punishment, but we're doing our best to make sure Octavian lives. Okay?"

Rachel nodded, wiping her eyes before her tears could be seen. The king and queen exchanged another glance, one filled with worry.

"But back to what start this conversation."

"Would you like to become the high duchess of the Sun kingdom?" Naomi finished for him.

Rachel thought about it for a moment before voicing her opinions out loud.

"I'm only eighteen. Don't you think that's a little too young to allow a person with that much authority?"

"Well, yes," Apollo admitted, "but after doing a little research on how your grades were in school and all the activity you did outside of it, you seem like a responsible kid."

"But I don't even know what I'd do or how I'd help."

"It's all right, dear," Naomi reassured her. "You don't need to make up your mind now. Think out it for a few days, alright?"

"Okay," the girl whispered, lost in thought.

Naomi helped Rachel up, suggesting that she go home for some rest. The queen led her out of the office and down the halls and to where Rachel's father was waiting. When they stood outside in front of the car, the queen stopped them, turning to Rachel.

"If you have question feel free to call or stop by and ask."

"I will."

Rachel quickly stepped into the car, expecting to see her dad sitting in the back. Instead, her dad's assistant sat there, clipboard in hand. Rachel sighed as the car began to drive off and the assistant began to recite her schedule for the day, not realizing that the young girl wasn't listening.

While ignoring the lady who Rachel didn't know the name of, she thought about the opposition she had the possibility of taking. She could see many pros. She wouldn't have to abide by the rules her father set. She wouldn't have to go to the college her parents were forcing her to go to in the fall. And, most of all, she'd actually have control over her own life.

"Ms. Dare," the assistant spoke, making Rachel come back to reality. "Your father would like to take you out for dinner tonight. Is that alright?"

Rachel hardly glanced over. Whenever her family went out, Rachel wasn't given a say in anything. Her father picked the restaurant and her mother picked her outfit. She'd be lucky sometimes if she got to pick out what they ate at the restaurant.

"Fine by me," Rachel sighed, turning her attention to the window again.

***  
Will barely had any time to react before Nico started expressing his anger. Luckily, Will did have enough time to drag Nico away before he caused too much of a scene. Once they were at the end of a hall near a sitting room, Nico let his full wrath show.

"Why is she trying to save that fucking bastard?" Nico growled, his hands clenched at his sides. They were being held so tight, they were shaking and his knuckles were turning white.

"They were friends when they were young. That's all."

"Was he crazy then?"

Will only glared. "The death of his parents was hard on him."

"Well, deaths hard on everyone but we all recover at some point."

"Just don't be mad at Rachel for this."

"Why shouldn't I?" Nico said, raising his voice.

"Because she hasn't done anything wrong!" Will shouted. Once he realized he had raised his voice he took a deep breath, lightly gripping Nico's shoulders. "Look, I know you hate Octavian with every fiber in your body, but you need to see things through her point. And mine. He's my family, and even though he's done some bad things doesn't mean he deserves death."

Nico looked away, now understanding the situation a little more, though he was still angry. With a little shove, Nico pushed Will away, turning down the hall. Will wasn't sure where exactly he was going, but he hoped it was to see his sisters.

***

 

Rachel arrived at the restaurant her father had picked out for the night. Just to her luck, it was a seafood place. Her least favorite type of place to eat. The hostess quickly escorted her to where her parents were seated. She picked up the menu, looking for the most appetizing thing on the menu. While doing so, her father asked her about her day. Rachel, not knowing if they had heard or not, answered all the questions like any other day.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t make Open Palace Day,” Mr. Dare said, though that was a lie. Rachel knew the only reason he’s show up for such an event would be to promote his business. “Sounds like you had fun.”

“Yeah,” Rachel responded, sarcasm dripping off each word. “If hitting an old family friend who was about to kill the princess with a hairbrush is what you call ‘fun’, then I had a blast.”

Her mother nearly spit out her drink. “Excuse me. What?”

The waitress stopped by to ask for their orders. Mrs. Dare was about to wave her off to focus on the child in front of her, but Rachel had already started placing her order. The other two adults ordered as well, then scolded her.

“Rachel, this is no way to act in public,” her father chortled.

Rachel just shrugged, not really caring. Her mother gasped.

“And what do you mean you threw a hairbrush at someone?”

“Yeah, remember Octavian?” she looked right at her dad, like she was blaming him for this. “After someone decided that he wasn’t worth taking care of, he went to a dark place. He tried killing Princess Hazel today, so I threw my hairbrush at him to save her.”

Silence. That’s all there was at the table for a long moment. Then, like he had just thought of something extraordinary, Mr. Dare grinned.”

“This could do wonders for the business. I can see it now: ‘Rachel Dare: the Girl who Saved the Princess’. Great, right?” he laughed.

“Indeed,” Mrs. Dare thought. “We’ll have to start the interviews right away. It c--”

“No,” Rachel stated, not the slightest bit amused. Both the adults stared at her, mouth opened. “I won’t do any interviews.”

Her father laughed like he had just made a hilarious joke. “Darling, you have to. You don’t have a choice in the matter.”

Under the table, Rachel’s hands formed into fists and she glared at him. When she spoke, she spoke with a demanding tone. “Father, I’m eighteen now. I have control over my own life and -- no, don’t say a word. I have control over my life and I will do as I please. I’m not going to that college for a business degree. I’m going for a degree in art. And when I’m done, I might just take up the queen’s offer to become duchess.”

“What?” Mr. and Mrs. Dare muttered, lost for words.

“The queen…” her step mom uttered.

“Duchess?” Mr. Dare wondered. “Another brilliant thing that could help the family name. Good thinking, Rachel.”

Frustrated, Rachel stood up, leaving the restaurant. Behind her, she heard both her guardians shouting for her to sit back down but she acted as if she hadn’t heard. Once she was outside, she took a long deep breath before finding a simple clothing store. Luckily for her, there was a small thrift shop two blocks away.

She entered the store, standing out against everything in her fancy red dress her mother had picked out. The woman behind the counter looked at her suspiciously, Rachel felt her gaze, but didn’t care. Not really caring what it looked like, she picked up a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and a first pair of shoes that fit her. After a paying for everything, she politely asked if she could change into the clothes in the dressing room. Once it was okayed, she did just that.

When she exited the dressing room, she no longer looked like a daughter of a famous business owner. She just looked like a normal teen wearing some ratted up clothes. Even the lady working the cash register was amazed by the transformation.

“Here,” Rachel said, placing the neatly folded dress on the counter. “I’ll be donating this as well as the shoes.”

“But--”

Rachel had already walked out the door before the lady could even start.

It didn’t take long for Rachel to hail a taxi and give the driver the address. While in the car, Rachel made a quick call to the palace, informing them that she was stopping by shortly. She also checked her phone to see all the missed calls and text from her parents. Apparently Mr. Dare had grounded her (again) for doing something ‘inappropriate’ in public. Rachel had to admit that her outburst could’ve wait, but it was too late now. What had been done was done.

“We’re here, miss,” the driver informed the red haired girl. Rachel thanked him, handing him the money for the drive. She got of the car and jogged up the stairs to the front doors. Upon seeing her, two guards opened up the doors, allowing her in before escorting to a small sitting area where the queen sat.

“Hello, Rachel. Did you need something?” Naomi asked, sipping her tea with a smile. She offered a cup to Rachel who politely declined.

“Uh, I had a question.”

“Shoot.”

“If I were to accept your offer, would I still be able to attend college?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Then I accept your offer.”

“Are you sure?” the queen asked. “You can think about it as long as you’d like, and you can say no?”

Rachel shook her head. “No. I want to.”

“Alright. I speak with Apollo in the morning. Now, you should be getting home soon. It’s getting late.”

Rachel bit her lip, looking down. “Can I stay the night here?”

“Of course. Did something happen at home?” Naomi asked, concern in her voice. Rachel shook her head, crying.

“My parent’s are just jerks.”

“You poor child,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around the red haired girl. Rachel held back, not remembering the last time she was held like this.

But it felt nice. The queen truly did have a mother’s touch.


	28. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations are at the end.

The following morning, there was a lot of tension between the boys. Nico, being the stubborn boy he’s always been, refused to interact with Will. Bianca would’ve given him the cold shoulder as well if it weren’t for the fact that she’d need to cooperate with him. Though that didn’t stop them from treating Rachel poorly either.

Rachel wasn’t even given a glance from either of the di Angelo’s. This only made her feel worse, and it was clear that she was upset. So upset that Hazel felt the need to try and comfort her, but when Hazel tried to help, she was swooped up by her brother and carried away from the red haired girl.

“Am I really that bad?” she asked Will, nearly in tears.

“No, Rachel. They’re just hurt. Just give them some time and they’ll come around,” Will assured, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She nodded, leaning into the one armed hug.

“Do you think I could see Octavian today?”

Will paused, thinking if it were possible she’d be able to at all. In the end, all he could do was tell her that it was up to the king and queen. So that’s where she went next. She went to the rulers of the kingdom to ask.

***

Naomi was the only one of the two who was available and she was more than happy to see Rachel. Upon hearing the request, the queen sighed, gently patting the girl's head.

“If that’s what you wish, then I suppose I’ll allow it,” the queen said. “But someone has to go with you. I suggest Will since he’s the only one who won’t leap at the chance to kill him.”

“Thank you,” Rachel replied, giving the queen a quick hug before going to find Will. Luckily, it didn’t take long; he was waiting right outside the room like he was waiting for her.

The two made their way down to where Octavian was being held. It was down in the dungeons. Further down than most were.

The way down to the cell was cold and frightful. The cement walls were dull and grey, giving off a depressing feel. Lights hung from the ceiling, though the lower they got, the more Rachel began to notice they flickered. This didn’t make the girl feel safe despite the fact that her and Will were surrounded by at least a dozen guards.

They approached the door of the cell and one to the two guards who were guarding the door went to unlock it. Before it was completely unlocked, Rachel looked over her shoulder and back at Will. He gave her a reassuring smile and gestured for her to enter.

“Go. You can do this.”

In response, she took a deep breath and smiled back as well. Then, with a little pep talk to herself, she entered the small, cold cell where Octavian was.

Octavian didn’t acknowledge the door opening and closing, or the sound of someone entering. He just sat in the corner, staring at the cracked stonewalls. From the dim lighting, Rachel noticed his appearance had changed from the day before. Instead of his assassin’s get up, he wore a bright orange jumpsuit and a set of chains held tightly to his wrists, preventing him from moving too much.

“Octavian?” Rachel whispered, her voice cracking.

The blonde snapped his head in her direction, blink a few times. Then, very slowly he began to stand up and make his way over to the red haired girl. Once he was close to her, he raised his hands hesitantly, like he was unsure about touching her, before putting them both back down again. During the whole thing, their eyes were kept locked onto one another, both too afraid to look away.

“Rachel?” Octavian asked, still not believing she was there.

“Yeah,” Rachel sniffled, wiping away the few tears that had fallen. “It’s me, Octavian. It really is.”

“Rachel… Why are you here?”

Rachel blinked. Why? Really? Was that all he had to ask? Really?

“You’re asking why I’m here? Hmm, let me think. Ah, yes-- cause you’re an idiot who tried to kill the princess, and they’re going to want you dead unless you have someone there to defend you! God, Octavian, why would you do something that reckless? Why?”

Octavian allowed the girl to yell at him a little longer till she had calmed down a little. When she had calm, she slumped down to the ground, leaning her head against the wall with her eyes closed. Octavian watched closely, carefully going to sit down next to her. The chains rattled loudly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. It wasn’t till he was holding her did he realize how much this was affecting her. Within his arms, Rachel shook from holding in her sobs.

“Why would you do something like that?” she asked weakly, not expecting a reply. 

“They humiliated me, Rachel. They need to pay for it.”

Rachel sat upright; pushing the boy away from him with such force that he fell over. Once Octavian had moved the hair out of his eyes he looked up at Rachel. She stood over him, glaring down at him with such anger he was surprised he hadn’t been killed yet.

“And that means you have to kill one of them?” Rachel growled. “You’re so unbelievable sometimes, you know that? Did you even think about the consequences?”

“Of course I did,” he spat back, now standing to face her.

“So you knew that this could end in your death?”

He was silent for a moment. “I knew it was a possibility.”

“And you still went through with it?”

“Anything to restore my family’s name.”

Rachel looked down, trying to figure out how he thought. When she looked back up, her eyes were cold. Octavian knew that look all too well; she was extremely upset, but she was doing her best to hide it. Octavian stared at her the same way, though he desperately wanted to reach out and comfort her. But he didn’t. He couldn’t allow himself for both their sakes.

“This might be the last time we see each other on good terms. I hope you know that.”

“I do.”

“Anything you’d like to say?”

He thought for a moment, debating if he should say it. In the end, he chose not to. Everything he had done up to now was selfish. He knew Rachel hated people who only thought of themselves. If he said what he was thinking, despite wanting to tell her, he chose not to. Octavian knew that if he said it, it would only hurt her in the long run. 

“Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. And… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that I did this to you. I never thought it would’ve hurt you like this. If I had known, I would’ve never done this.” 

Rachel whipped away the tears from his checks. He pulled her into a hug, something he hadn’t had since he last saw her as a kid. She held back, not knowing if she’d get another ever again. 

“I'm sorry too. If I had fought my dad he might have kept you and we could’ve been together, and you wouldn’t be here now. And I--”

“It’s not your fault. None of it is.”

“I--”

The door began to unlock before opening again. The two looked to see a guard standing there, emotionless as ever, not caring that the two were having a moment.

“Ms. Dare, you’ve been in here for an hour. The prince is suggesting that you leave.”

Rachel started to panic, not ready to leave Octavian. She started speaking quickly, unable to find her words. She clung to his chest, hoping that if she held on tight enough she wouldn’t have to leave. Octavian glared at the guard before gazing down at Rachel with a caring look he gave very few people. With a final squeeze, he gently pried Rachel off him.

“It’ll be okay, Rachel. We’ll see each other again.”

“How do you know that?”

Octavian smiled. “I just know. Now go. I’ll see you soon.”

“I… I…”

“Go.”

Rachel left, glancing over her shoulder at him once more before leaving. He sent her one last smile right s the door shut, close off the sight of her. Even after she left, Octavian stood there, just staring at the door. Then, after thinking of the hour he had spent with her, he thought about his feelings for her. The feelings that she would never know about.

“I care for you, Rachel,” he uttered under his breath, his lips barely moving. “But I hope you don’t need me cause I can’t be there for you.”

***

After taking Rachel back to her room, Will went to check up on the di Angelo's and Hazel. He found them all in Bianca’s room, snuggled up on the couch, watching some kids show Hazel had picked out. Without a word, Will had walked in and over to where they were sitting. It wasn’t till he stood beside the couch did he realize the youngest one of the three was asleep.

“How is she holding up?” Will asked.

“Quiet,” Bianca replied. “Quiet and very snuggly, but I think she’ll be fine on a while.”

“And you two?”

“I’m just a little on edge now.”

“And what about you?” Will directed the question to Nico. Nico didn’t react to Will’s voice. “Really?”

Bianca sighed. “He’s been like this all day.”

“Even to you?”

She nodded. “He’s only responding to Hazel, and when he does say something, it’s all in Italian.”

Will walked around the couch and crouched down in front of Nico. The dark haired boy looked at him lazily, waiting for him to say something. 

“Nico, you need to work with us here. We can’t do that if you’re being stubborn.” 

“Così?” Nico mumbled, attitude dripping off the word. “Perché dovrei lavorare con un traditore?” 

“Nico!” Bianca scolded.

“Che cosa? È vero.”

 “Go to your room.” 

“Ma-”

“No buts. Go.” 

“Bene…” Nico growled, leaving the room. He didn’t look happy as he did either.

“What did he say?” Will asked, curious as to what the words had meant.

“It doesn’t matter. We also heard that our dad might be coming for Octavian's trial.” 

“What happens then?”

Bianca sighed, running a hand through her hair. “He’ll do everything in his power to have Octavian killed. No imprisonment, no chance in challenging for his freedom. Just death.” 

“We can’t let that happen,” Will stated. 

“We can’t. Even I’ll agree with that.” 

Will sat down in the spot Nico had previously occupied, thinking deeply on the subject. He had done a little research on the trail his cousin would be put through, but hadn’t had the time to really dig into it. All he knew was what the end results would be. There was an extremely slim chance he’d be proven innocent, which would most likely never happen. As for the least harmful punishment, he would be put in prison for the rest of his life with little to no contact from the outside world.

“Anything in particular you could do about your dad?” Will asked.

“My dad is a very hard man to get through to. I highly doubt we’ll be able to get him to change his mind. So we’ll just have to do everything we can to cushion the fall Octavian's going to receive.” 

“Rachel can help with that.”

 “I know,” Bianca mumbled. “I just hope it’s enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Così? = So?  
> Perché dovrei lavorare con un traditore? = Why should I work with a traitor?  
> Che cosa? È vero. = What? It's the truth.  
> Bene. = Fine.


	29. Chapter 28

Octavian's trial was held a week later. Hades had arrived the morning of and wanted to get on with it right away. Both kings were present, as well as the prince queen of the Sun Kingdom, and both di Angelo’s. Hazel was the only royal excluded from the event due to her age and, well, she wouldn’t want to see Octavian. He threatened her after all.

The trial was held in the throne room. Apollo and Hades sat beside each other. Beside them was the rest of their family who were present. Apollo's wife was to his left, with Will next to her. Rachel sat beside Will, a brooch gleaming on her chest to show she was the High Duchess of the Sun Kingdom. On the opposite side, Bianca sat beside her father, and Nico at the end. The room was filled with others. All were part of higher part of society or news reporters.

The room fell silent when the door opened, ushering in the criminal. He looked in worse condition than he had the last time Rachel had seen him a week prior. His long hair was tangled, tousled and thick with grease. It was clear by the way he looked that he was tired and was sore all over from the tiny cell he had been held in.

Nico leaned over, whispering something into his sister’s ear. The older sibling glared, shooting back an insult. Hades caught the two in the middle of their argument and ended, hushing them to be quiet. They did as they were told, leaving a tension in the air.

Octavian was brought to the front of the room right in front of thrones where he was forced to kneel. He didn’t fight against the guards as they forced him to his knees. It would’ve been too much of a hassle.

Once the former assassin was kneeling, King Apollo stood. Everyone followed in suit.

“I’ve gathered you all here today to determine the fate of this young man,” Apollo’s voice boomed. “Former Count to the Sun Kingdom from the my own family, Octavian is now on trial for an attempt at murder of Princess Bianca di Angelo, the injury of Prince Nico di Angelo, and the threatening of Princess Hazel Levesque of the Mortem Kingdom. This is an act of treason against the crown of both the Mortem and the Sun Kingdom and this man’s actions will not go without punishment. If anyone objects to my reasoning or would like to add to it, please, step forward now.”

The ruler was greeted with silence.

“In that case, we shall continue on with the trial,” Apollo sat back down, indicating for everyone to do so as well. “Octavian, if you will please explain your actions.”

Octavian glared up at the king, but stopped once he felt Rachel gaze. Instead, he looked down at the floor, feeling the disappointment from the red haired girl. He told his story, his reasoning without glancing up once. The whole time he could feel the anger and hatred coming off King Hades and Prince Nico, but that made no difference to him.

“Is that all?” Apollo asked.

“Yes,  _ your highness, _ ” the blond seethed. Apollo barely blinked at the tone in his voice.

“Then we’ll move onto the witnesses. Princess Bianca, if you’ll please...”

The guards moved Octavian out of the way, allowing the Princess to take his place. Bianca took her stand in front of the throne where Octavian had been previously. Apollo asked her to retell the events of the night, which she did without hesitation and remained calm throughout all of it. Afterwards, Nico came up retelling everything in explicit detail. Hatred and anger laced each word that left his mouth and it was obvious that he wanted the worst for the young man. Will told his version after Nico’s, and finally Rachel went up and told her experience from a week before. At the end of retellings, the trial moved on.

“There are a total of three people who are here to defend the man in question. Naomi Solace, if you will please step to the front to defend Octavian.”

The queen stood in front of her husband, her back to the rest of the crowd. With pleading eyes, she looked at her beloved, silently asking if there was any other way to save their dear nephew. Apollo looked set her a look, a look only she could see, telling her there was nothing he could do.

“This is an outrage,” Hades commented, not caring who heard. “Your wife can not defend him this traitor. She is the queen!”

Apollo opened his mouth to defend her, but Naomi stopped him before he could. “For your information, King Hades, I can. By law, anyone can defend the person in question as long as they are not the one running the trial, so, therefor I am allowed,” she leaned forward so only the two men could hear. “And if you still have a problem with it, then say it now.”

Hades sat back, and irritated expression written over his face.

“Now, then,” Apollo clapped. “If you would, dear.”

The queen started, taking her time when it came to defending the young blond man. She viewed it from a mother’s standpoint, claiming that he did indeed need to punish for his actions, but he also needed to be guided down the right path again. Octavian who was off to the side had an outburst during the queen’s speaking time, but was quickly silenced by a glare from the three women in the room. Then again, if all three of those women were to glare at you, you’d shut your trap too.

Next Will went up, earning a protest from Octavian and Hades. Nico knew he was one of the defendants, but that didn’t mean he liked it.

“Apollo, why is your son defending him?” Hades questioned. “The boy tried his kill his fiancé. I-”

“Father,” Bianca said, gently grabbing onto his arm. “It’s Will’s choice to defend him.”

“But--”

Bianca sent him a look of ‘don’t even try. You know I’m right.’ Hades once again sank back down, listening to what the person standing had to say.

Will said many things similar to his mother, but veered away from his mother’s idea. The way the queen saw it was that Octavian didn’t know what he was doing; that it as because he had no close family that he did what he did. Will, on the other hand, claimed that Octavian was still suffering from his parents’ death. That it was all a cry for help. Octavian, of course, denied all of it, mainly out a spite, but everyone else was convinced that there may back been a practical problem behind it.

Finally, there was Rachel.

“Octavian has done some bad things, but, to be fair, he hasn’t had anyone to turn to. He’s been on his own since my father casted him out of our home. I… I partly blame myself for that, but so are others. He was only a child when he returned back to his ‘normal’ life without his parents there. He had no friends, and the rest of his family was barely there for him, meaning he had to cop with his loss all by himself. Just try to imagine doing that; it couldn’t have been easy for him. So there is a possibility he is still suffering from his parent’s death. There’s also possible that being alone for so long caused him to react irrationally when he was welcomed back into society.”

“So what are you implying here?” the king asked. He knew, but he needed to clarify for those who didn’t.

Rachel took a deep breath, stealing a quick glance at Octavian. “What I’m implying is that Octavian need help from a doctor. And a therapist, if he could. It would benefit him and others around him.”

Apollo nodded once. “Is that all?”

“That is all.”

“You may take your seat.”

Rachel nodded once, taking her seat beside Will. Seconds later, Apollo had risen from his seat.

“I, as well as the selected others here today, will be excusing yourself to go and make out final decision.”

Apollo led the way to the small enclosed meeting room off to the side of the large throne room. The other king followed, Naomi behind him. Both di Angelo’s tailed behind, still not speaking with one another. Then, after briefly pausing to look at the blond boy in chains, Rachel followed after Will.

***

As soon as the door shut, Hades let his rage out. He held nothing of his thoughts back when it came to expressing his mind. After hearing him speak for a solid two minutes, Naomi tried to cut him off. It ended in the two adults shouting. Soon, Apollo was forced to join in before his wife cut Hades head off.

“Stop it!” Bianca screamed, slamming her fist on the table. Immediately everyone stopped, frightened that calm, collecting Bianca raised her voice. “We don’t have time for this. We need to figure out what we’re doing with him.

“Killing him,” Hades answered.

“No!” Everyone but Nico countered,

“Hades, we can’t,” Apollo tried to reason. “It’s a bit too harsh of a punishment. He’s only eighteen. A young man making a stupid decision. It’s unfortunate that he went to such extreme measures, but we can’t just kill him.”

“He tried to kill my daughters and he threatened my children! I want him dead.”

“I agree on this one,” Nico admitted. Normally, he'd do anything to keep his father from his goal, but he wanted the same thing and the only way to get there was if they worked together.

“Look,” Bianca attempted to come to reason. “I love that you two are actually agreeing on something and getting along for once, but we can’t kill him.”

“Then what do we do?”

Will sighed, throwing his suggestion out there. Hades and Nico obviously shot it down without a second thought, but the other listened. Well, everyone besides Rachel. She and Will knew this was the only possible compromise. That is, fi a compromise was even possible.

In the end, the vote was five to two.

***

“The final ruling is a thirty-year sentence to Santa Rosa Mental Health Institution and will then be placed under a lifetime sentence of house arrest.”

The whole room burst into hushed whispers. Apollo dismissed everyone, and ordered the guards to take Octavian back to his cell. He wouldn’t be leaving for another three days, so he would just have to put up with the horrible living conditions till then.

The room slowly emptied till only the kings, the queen, the princess, both princes, and the duchess remained. It was no secret that the two men from the Mortem Kingdom were happy with the final ruling, but there wasn’t much they could do about it now.

“So,” Naomi began, directing her voice to Hades. “What will you be doing now Hades? Stay for a few days, see your kids?”

“Afraid not,” Hades answered. “Persephone needs me back at home. I must be on my way by nightfall.”

Bianca frowned. “But you just go here. Can’t you stay the night? Please? I know Hazel would love to see you.”

Hades was about to object, but he looked at his daughter. She was giving him the puppy eyes. He sighed.

“I’ll check with Persephone first.”

“Please, Papa,” Bianca begged. She knew that by using the word ‘Papa’ he’d do anything he was asked by his children.

“I suppose.”

Bianca smiled, hugging her dad. She thanked him before running off to find Hazel. Off to the side, Nico rolled his eyes with a dreadful expression on his face. He understood why Bianca wanted him there. She wanted him here for Hazel, and, like always, hoped a miracle would happen between father and son. Nico secretly wanted it to, but knew it was wishful thinking. It’d never happen.

Nico dismissed himself, claiming he needed some time to himself. Will and Rachel watched him walk off. Will knew that he was upset that his father would be staying the night, but Rachel didn’t. She assumed he was still upset with the ruling.

“Don’t be upset with him,” Will told Rachel when he noticed the looked she was sending him. “He’s upset with a different reason.”

“Family problems?”

Will nodded, and Rachel seemed to calm a little, a saddened look on her face. She now understood his frustration and hurt.

“Oh,” was all she had to respond with.

“Kids,” Naomi called out, earning their attention. “I’m going to go to the kitchen and ask them to prepare a meal for everyone. Can you go tell the others that dinner will be served at six?”

The two nodded, running off to complete their task. Little did they know that this would create an awkward and suspenseful dinner.


	30. Chapter 29

Dinner was an awkward time or everyone thanks to the men. All four males were too stubborn to let go of their differences to speak. Nico and Will were still mad at each other, and despite father and son being on the same side for once, Nico and Hades still wouldn't talk. They barely glanced at each other. Hades and Apollo did their best to not let their true colors show, but it was obvious that they weren't getting along at the moment. In the end, it was up for the women to come in a save the day.

Bianca and Rachel were slowly getting to know each other, so they had started a conversation, but no one else joined in. Naomi tried to discuss adult things with her husband and Hades, but neither of them would comply. As for Hazel, she could feel the tension and she didn't like it one bit.

"B," she whispered, gaining her attention, "why's everyone mad?"

Bianca smiled down at her sadly. "You'll understand when you're older, okay?"

"Okay," she answered, stuffing her face with mac and cheese.

At the end of the meal, no problems had been solved. Bianca and Naomi knew this was a possibility and had a plan made up already. They looked at each other, nodding slightly. Bianca turned to Rachel.

"Do you mind taking Hazel to her room? I need to discuss with the other about something."

Rachel nodded, gesturing for Hazel to follow. She smiled brightly at the little girl, trying to be as friendly as possible. It seemed to work. Hazel laughed, running to her and pulling her along.

"Can I play with your hair?" Hazel asked, staring at her red hair. Rachel laughed, nodding.

"Sure, but we have to get to your room first."

Once they were out of the room and far enough away, Bianca stood, looking between all four boys. None of them were looking at her or the queen, nor were they looking at each other.

"You guys need to grow up," Bianca stated. "I understand you all have personal opinions, but keep them to yourselves."

"She's right," Naomi backed her up. "Especially you two," she gestured to both the other adults. "You're both grown men and rulers of a kingdom. You need to start acting like it some more. Honestly, do you two want to starts war?"

Hades was the first to speak up, saying, "Or maybe we can just break off the engagement between our children and call it down?"

"Please!" Both Bianca and Will shouted, not even realizing they had. They both looked each other, holding back their laughter.

Hades rolled his eyes. He stood up, scooting his chair in. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to spend some time with my daughters before I leave."

Everyone took notice how he only spoke of the girls and not his son. Bianca and Will casted a glance over to Nico to see how he felt. His hands were in fists under the table and his eyes were squeezed shut. If it was out of anger or sadness, neither knew. Meanwhile, Apollo and Naomi glanced at each other, suspecting something between the two that they weren't supposed to know about.

Bianca stormed over to the doors leading to the room, shutting them. She then turned back to the others, mainly her father, glaring at him.

"You," she said in an ordering tone, pointing at him, "are going act nice to everyone the rest of the time you're here. And you two aren't leaving till you make up," she told Hades and Apollo before turning to the other two. "And you two are going to as well."

"Bianca," Apollo started, "you're taking this too far. Don't you agree, Naomi?"

The queen shook her head, going to open the doors again. Bianca, knowing that they'd won this battle, went to retrieve the younger boys, pulling them along by their ears. They protested, trying to loosen her grip. It didn't work though. All it did was strengthen her hold on them. Once the three were out of the room, the queen turned around to the men. With a smirk, she pulled a key out of her pocket, slipping through the doors of the dining room.

Apollo hung his head defeat as the doors clicked shut and the jingle of keys were heard. Seconds later, they had locked, leaving the two adults locked in the dining room.

***

Bianca let go of the boys once Naomi had finished locking the door on the kings. She then turned to the boys with a look of frustration. Bianca looked the same as well.

"It's bad enough dealing with your father, Will," Naomi complained, "but I don't need you both acting like this."

"I'm sorry, Mom," Will apologized, looking down at his feet in shame.

"It's fine, Will. You're not the problem. Nico," she turned to the black haired boy, "I don't know what's going on between with you but, please, try to get along. With Will and your father."

Nico frowned, looking at the ground. Naomi sensed his sadness at the mention of his father and tried to hug him, but when he leaned in, Nico dodged.

"I'll be in my room," he said as nicely as he could before walking off in that general direction. The other three watched as Nico turned the corner, clearly upset with his day. Naomi sighed. She wished she could do something to help.

"Will," the queen mumbled. "Be patient with him. He's like his father when he's hurt."

Will nodded once before the two girls walked off in the direction of Hazel's room. Will turned, contemplating if he should try and approach Nico. If he did, he knew it was best to wait an hour or so before he did. In the meantime, he decided to go relieve some stress by playing the piano.

***

While the others were off doing whatever, the kings sat in the dining room, not speaking. Hades glared and Apollo returned the stare. They were both too stubborn to put aside their differences and talk about their problems.

Hades and abruptly stood up after many minutes of just sitting and pulled a chair to one of the walls. Apollo looked to see a large vent on the higher part of the wall, but he knew there was no way either of them would fit. Hades knew as well, but it was better than nothing.

Pulling out a pocketknife, Hades opened up the screwdriver and started to unscrew the vent. Apollo watched from a few feet away, smirking as the other struggled reaching the top two bolts. After all, Hades was shorter than Apollo was.

"It's not going to work Hades," Apollo informed him. "And even if you can open it, we both know you can't fit. Or reach."

"Shut it, Apollo."

"Can't make me. In fact, while watching you, I thought of a poem."

"Please, don't."

" _Ode to all the short people, without them where would we be? They make great--"_

"I said don't," Hades repeated. He had heard them multiple times from the Sun king. It got old after the first few times, so, when he knew he was at a disadvantage due to his height, he prepared himself mentally for the same, crappy poem.

"But it's such a good poem."

"I'm literally five inches shorter than you," Hades pointed out yet again. "And five foot seven is not short."

"Compared to me, yes it is."

"To you," the other snorted.

Apollo sighed, standing up and strolling over to a small cabinet. Hades watched from beside the table as the Sun kingdom opened the wooden hair and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of scotch. He sat the glasses down, filling them halfway and sliding one to Hades.

"We're going to be here a while," Apollo stated, taking a large gulp. "Start drinking up."

"Why?" Hades asked, taking his drink. HE wasn't going to turn it down, but he was curious as to why he suggested they drink.

"Because our wives are not going to be happy with us."

Hades, without other words, started downing his drink as well. Nothing was worse than having your female companion made cause when that happened, their anger was turned toward them and they were ordered to sleep on the couch.

They both finished their drinks, filling up their glasses again, trying to forget about their problems.

***

Will went on a search for Nico. When he arrived at the shorter boy's room, he discovered he wasn't there. He checked with the girls, but he wasn't there. Nor was he in the library or the training area, and his sword was still in his room.

So here Will was running around trying to locate the black haired boy.

A servant had notified him that they had seen Nico heading out into the gardens with his headphones in. Will knew that was a sign that he didn't want to be talking to, but Will also knew that Nico needed to talk. Probably not to him, but it was better than no one.

After crossing down many paths, Will heard faint humming. He didn't recognize the tone, but there was no doubt. The person humming was Nico.

He turned the corner to find Nico sitting against a large oak tree, his eyes closed and his fingers tapping on his knees. HE didn't know that the other boy was there yet, so Will took the chance to watch Nico and see how he acted when listening to music. Near what he assumed was the courses, Nico softly sang under his breath, It was barely loud enough to hear, but Will now knew that whatever it was wasn't English.

"Nico," Will said.

No answer.

"Nico," he said a little louder.

Still nothing.

"Nico!"

Nico jumped, ripping his headphone off by accident. He looked over at the blonde, startled at the calling of his name. Then, after a moment returned to an irritated expression.

"What the hell do you want?"

Will took a seat across from the other boy, getting comfortable.

"I wanna talk."

"Well, I don't."

"But you should.

"And why's that?"

"Because you're hurt. And you're mad. And you don't know what to think overall. Talking helps though, Nico."

Nico looked away, putting his headphones back on. Just by his body language, Will could tell he was right about when he said that the other as trying to deny it.

"Whatever," he mumbled, listening to his music. Will sat back while he waited for Nico to come to his senses.

***

Half the bottle of scotch was gone within an hour. Hades, after a few complaints, had gotten some whisky out instead. Apollo disliked the taste, but the other didn't apparently. Now, after many, _many_ drinks, they were both a little tipsy. Well, maybe more than tipsy.

The two reminisced over old memories and ancient arguments from when they were young. Then, after some time, the two got bored. Hades suggested they just leave but was then reminded that the doors were locked.

"But what about the window, Polly?" Hades slurred, using an old nickname that Apollo hated.

The king sighed, setting his drink down, looking at his friend. "We've been over this already. They're locked and bulletproof. We can't get out through there."

"What about--"

"I already told you no. That won't work either."

"There has to be a way," Hades whined. "Don't you have a key or something?"

"Of course I do. It's just not on me."

"Have you checked?"

"Duh," Apollo answered.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Are you really sure?"

"Yes. Absolutely.

"Are you absolutely, positively--"

"Yes!" he exclaimed. "Watch me check again."

Apollo stood from his chair, emptying out each pocket he had. He flipped the pockets to his jacket inside out, moving to his back pockets. An old leather wallet was tossed onto the table and a few pieces of tint. Moving onto the front pocket, the sound of metal jingling was heard. Apollo paused, realization hitting him. Hade's expression slowly turned from bored to disappointment.

Apollo pulled out a ring of keys, quickly searching for the key to the dining room.

"Oh," was all the Sun king had to say.

"Apollo..."

"I know. I know. Come on. Let's sneak out of here before Naomi finds out."

Hades sighed, standing to follow the other out.

***

Nico's phone died thirty minutes later. He didn't realize it till the music abruptly stopping, leaving him to listen to the sounds of the outdoors. Upon opening one eye, he noticed that the sun had set, leaving behind colorful streaks in the sky.

The smaller boy stood up to leave, but the other had other ideas. Will stopped him before he could go anywhere. Nico tried to shake himself from his grasp, but if didn't work. Nico tried harder, but Will's grip didn't even loosen. And he wasn't even trying to keep him still.

"Let me go," Nico demanded.

"No. Talk."

"Talk about what?"

"Your thoughts and feelings."

"Oh, piss off," Nico mumbled, pushing past Will. The blonde yanked him back by the back of his shirt, only angering the smaller boy. "Seriously, Will. Knock it off."

"Make me."

"Oh, I'm about to," Nico warned. "Now, let me go."

Their eyes locked, both of them not daring to look away. After many intense moments, Nico attempted to pull his arm away, only to have it jerked back harder. Out of anger or instinct, maybe both, Nico slammed a fist against Will. The other reacted by letting go and clutching his side.

Nico let out a loud huff, making his way back to the castle. Will stopped him again by grabbing his shoulder. The black haired boy then proceeded to grab his wrist, pull it toward him and hold his arm behind his back. Will whimpered at the pain.

"Should've listened to me the first time," Nico told him, bending his arm a little more. Using his other arm, Will managed to elbow Nico in the ribs.

And then the real fight began.

Nico stepped back, his fist ready for when ever Will turned around. When he did, he swung, only hitting air. He realized his mistake just a few minutes too late. Will had ducked and knocked Nico off his feet with his legs.

The smaller boy hit the ground, luckily not his head, but it hurt. Nico groaned in pain, attempting to get up, but he felt something heavy on his chest. After thinking for a second, he discovered it was a foot.

"Are we done now?" Will asked, an irritated tone in his voice. Nico glared, and, just like lightning, he yanked Will's foot off him. Will lost his balance and ended up in the same situation as Nico.

"Yes," Nico answered, his anger clear in his voice. "Now leave me alone the rest of the night, or else I give you a real fight."

Nico stood up and took his leave. Will remained where he was, trying to think of possible ways to approach Nico without warning a punch.

Nothing came to mind. The only way was to wait it out.

***

The two kings sighed, watching from the window of Apollo's office. They had seen the whole fight between their sons, but didn't do anything to stop it. Instead, they poured themselves another drink, a light one, not anything too heavy, and watched as the two settled their argument with their fists.

Hades sighed, sipping from his glass. "What are we going to do about them?"

"Nothing," Apollo answered simply. "You know how young men can be. They needed a good fight."

"But it was barely a fight!"

Apollo laughed. "Oh, you're soooo right. I remember the one your brothers had over... who was it again?"

Hades shrugged. "Who cares? Neither of them got her."

They settled into a calming silence, both enjoying the night view and their drinks. Just when they were beginning to have some piece, something, of course, had to ruin in.

Naomi threw open the door, glaring at her husband. She was dressed in her pajamas, slippers and a robe with her blond hair up in a messy bun.

"You're sleeping on the couch," she told Apollo who sighed loudly, setting his glass down.

"I know, dear."

"We'll be speaking of this in the morning. I can smell the alcohol on your breath from here."

Then she left the room, slamming the door shut. Apollo sighed loudly, rubbing his forehead. Hades offered him another drink, but the Sun king politely declined it. He'd had enough for one night.


	31. Chapter 30

Hades left the following morning, kissing both his daughters on the head. Nico stood slightly behind Bianca, acting as her guard like he was meant to. He and his father didn't say a word. Everyone noticed but didn't say anything.

Once Hades was out of sight, everyone returned to his or her activities, but before Nico could run off, Bianca stopped him. She had seen the hurt on her brother's face and wanted to make sure he was okay. But Nico had gotten used to the way his father treated him and preferred to be left alone during those times.

Now, three days later, not much else had changed. Nico and Will weren't speaking. Nico still held a grudge against Rachel. The only thing that was slightly different was his normal behavior. He was extremely quiet and hadn't really spoken to anyone. Sadly, only Bianca picked up on this.

But she couldn't do anything about that now because she and Will were meeting discussing her least favorite topic. Marriage.

"Now, I know it's still a few months away, but we do need to start planning the wedding," Naomi told the two. They both groaned. "I know, I know, but bear with us."

Apollo sat in his chair. "We know it's going to be... well, strange, but you two are getting along nicely which is always a good start. As for the couple part, you guys are playing it very well by being shy and awkward but that won't work forever. You need to act more natural, more like you're in love."

"But we're not," Bianca whined. "Nor do we want to be."

Naomi sighed. "I know it's hard, but you'll learn to at least act the part. Our idea was to put you couples counseling."

Both Will and Bianca opened their mouth to object, but Apollo spoke before they could.

"It would be a good way to learn what an actual relationship is like. Romance movies can't teach you that no matter how much you want them to."

"So when do we start going to that?" Bianca asked, accepting her dreadful fate.

"Two weeks. Till then, I suggest you look through these."

Apollo threw a few magazines across the desk. Bianca and Will picked some up and flipped through a few pages. They all had the same thing inside. Engagement rings and wedding bands.

"I already have my wedding ring," Bianca told them, setting the catalog back on the desk. "It's the ring my father gave to my mother. She left it for me in her will."

Apollo nodded. "Alright. Those parts settled then. On to the next topic."

***

After the meeting, Bianca went to check up on her brother. She knew he'd been in his room, most likely doing nothing. Or at least nothing important, anyway.

When she reached the door, she was about to know when she heard him talking to someone on the other side. It was muffled through the wood and hard to make out, but she could tell he was on the phone with someone. Despite her want to eavesdrop, she knocked on the door. It opened seconds later, revealing a tired and stressed Nico.

His clothes were rumpled and his hair was all over the place. A frown was placed on his lips and his eyes were slightly puffy like he'd been crying a few hours ago.

Bianca quickly let herself into the room, shutting the door shut behind her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he sniffled. "Just thinking."

"What kind of thinking?"

He bit his lip like he was debating to tell her or not. In the end, he waved it off. "I'll tell you once I've made up my mind."

"That bad, huh?"

He shrugged, hoping she'd take the hint that he didn't want to talk about it. She dropped the subject after that. Instead, she ranted about the meeting. Nico listened intently, finding it a great distraction from his own problem. After a good ten minutes, someone else came knocking at the door.

"May I come in?" Will asked through the door.

Nico replied with a rude 'no' while Bianca welcomed him in. The two siblings glared at each other before Nico mumbled a grumpy come in. Without wasting a second, Will slipped in, glancing between the two. Neither of them of them looked too happy at the moment.

"Should I come back another time?" he asked, placing a hand on the door.

"No, it's fine," Bianca assured. "What'd you need?"

"You forgot your phone."

Will strode over to where she sat, his hand outstretched with the phone. Bianca quickly took it, checking her texts. When she and Will were at the meeting, she had been texting Thalia under the desk. Will knew but his parents hadn't caught on.

"I have to go," Bianca mumbled, running out the door. "I've got an Overwatch battle to fight."

***

Around eight that night, Nico stopped by Will's room. The door was open, inviting anyone and everyone in. Nico leaned against the doorway, knocking on the door. Will looked up from his book, wondering what Nico was doing. He was still mad, wasn't he?

"I'm sorry for my temper," the black haired apologized. "I've just been stressed."

"It's alright," Will smiled. "I understand. I'd feel the same if I were you." He paused. "But you should try being nicer to Rachel."

Nico sighed. "I'll try. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading out."

Nico started to walk away, but Will called out for him. Nico turned back toward the blonde who was now examining his appearance. He was dressed in black jeans, new black sneakers, his classic skull T-shirt, and a leather jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"If I tell you, you can't tell anyone."

"I won't."

"Good. I'm heading out to a bar for underage teens like us. A few friends told me it's safe and secure, so there's no need to worry."

Will's eyes widened. "What? You can't do that. It's breaking the law."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Please. I've been to a bar before. If you don't remember, the legal drinking age from where I'm from is 16. Technically, I'm allowed since that's my nationality."

He started to leave again but stopped when he heard four words he didn't think he'd ever hear from Will.

"I'm coming with you."

***

Forty minutes later, the boys stood outside the building. Nico doubled checked the address he received from the Stoll brothers before knocking on the door. A man opened up the peeping hole, looking between the two.

"Where is the cake?"

"The cake is a lie," Nico replied. The door swung open, allowing the two in. As they made their way down the hall, Will questioned the password.

"It's a reference to a game. You wouldn't understand."

Will shut his mouth, following behind Nico. They headed to basement door where they then entered the 'bar'. There was a bar, but it wasn't a real one. It was more of a kitchen island with chipped wooden shelves behind it lined with liquor. Will glanced behind and also noticed a large tub with pop cans, which relieved him. He wasn't planning on drinking tonight.

Nico hopped onto one of the stools, waiting for the bartender to come over. Nico quickly ordered himself a drink of the cheapest wine and then took a minute to look around. Meanwhile, Will shifted in his seat.

"This seems like a cool place," Nico noted, turning to Will. "What do you think?"

Will shrugged, looking around. There were maybe another forty or fifty kids in there as well, all of them with a drink in their hand. Some were dancing on the makeshift dance floor while a few were making out against a wall.

"Looks like one of those typical high school movie scenes. You know, like the crazy parties."

Nico chuckled; taking a sip of his drink that had been left on the table.

"Yeah, kind of looks like that, I guess. Are you going to ordering anything?"

Will shook his head. "Why did you decide to come here?"

Nico shrugged, taking another drink. "Haven't had a drink in two months, so I figured why not go get one tonight, you know? I would've done it back at your place, but it's too risky with your parents and all."

"Oh," Will mumbled, looking around again. "Hey, do you know where the bathroom is?"

Nico jerked a thumb behind them. "Over by the stairs."

Will nodded once, rushing over to the bathroom, though it wasn't cause he needed to pee. The seconds he was in, he locked the door behind him. Once he was sure no one would walk in, he pulled out his phone and called up the only person he could think of.

"Hello?" Bianca picked up after two rings.

"Hey, it's Will."

"Well, duh. Unless something changed my contacts, you're Will. What's the noise in the background?"

Will sighed, wishing the music here weren't so loud. Or so bad. Seriously, who was playing this music? It felt like his ears would start to bleed if they didn't start playing something decent.

"Nico came to my room to apologize and then he headed out to some bar a friend told him about. I came with him to make sure he was safe."

"Will!"  
  
"I'm sorry! I know I should've stopped him, but it's Nico. We both know that wouldn't have worked."

Bianca sighed. "Okay, just make sure he gets home okay. And avoid your parents when you come in. Do you have anyone who might be able to sneak you in?"

"Yes," Will answered, thinking to Kayla and Austin. "Got that under control. I'll shoot him a text in a minute."

"Okay. Does he know you're calling me?"

"No."

"Good. I'm going to have a talk with him in the morning."

"Okay."

"You aren't drinking, are you?"

"Never."

"Good, see you when you get home."

"See ya."

And the call hung up. Will sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket, trying to think of ways of getting Nico out of this place. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but he had to at least try, right?

***

Will's jaw nearly hit the floor when he walked out of the bathroom. Nico was still sitting at the bar, but there was a girl sitting beside him. And she was awfully close to him.

Nico chuckled at her attempts at flirting, shaking his head a little.

"Sorry, but I'm gay," he told her. She laughed, covering her red cheeks.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't know. Mind if I introduce you to a friend of mine. You seem like his type."

"Sure," Nico smiled. "Bring him over."

The girl stood up, pushing her way through the crowded dance floor to her friend. Will took the chance to take his seat again. Nico laughed again, downing the remains of his drink.

"Oh, Will, you should've--"

"How long are we going to be here?"

"Why? Do you want to leave? You can leave if you want."

"I'm not leaving you here alone."

Nico sighed, setting his plastic cup down. "Well, it's barely nine. How about an hour or so?"

"Okay," Will said, taking a stand from his seat. "I'll be waiting in that corner and in one hour I'm coming to find you so we can leave."

"I bought you a pop, by the way," Nico handed him an unopened can of Pepsi.

"Is it drugged?"

Nico rolled his eyes. "It's not even open."

"You never know," Will shrugged, cracking it open.

He wandered off to the far side of the bar with his soda just as the girl from earlier came back with her friend. Will couldn't help but glare at the two. He didn't know why, but he didn't like Nico being around either of them. Once the blonde had reached the seat at the furthest end of the bar, he plopped down, pulling out his phone to shot Bianca a quick text. Afterward, he decided to scroll through some social media apps and play a few games.

The next hour ticked by slower than Will would've liked it. Each minute seemed to drag on longer than the last one had. Finally when the sixty minutes were up, Will looked over to where Nico had been twenty minutes ago when he last checked. Only he wasn't there.

Will's chest swelled in panic, but then he calmed down knowing that the black haired boy was probably in the room somewhere. Getting up from his seat, Will started to search the outskirts of the dance floor and each side of the room. Will found him, but he wasn't pleased with what he found.

Up against one of the walls were Nico and the guy he met earlier. The guy had Nico pressed up against the wall and was kissing him. On the mouth. With possible tongue action.

Will grimaced at the sight, though Nico seemed to be enjoying at the moment. The black haired boy had his arms wrapped around the goy's neck; pulling him down a little so he could reach his face better.

Needless to say, the blonde wasn't happy to see the two making out. So, Will took the initiative to break it up, not caring if they were mad at him.

"Nico, it's time to go," Will shouted over the loud music, pulling on the smaller boy's sleeve. Nico pulled away from the other guy with a goofy grin.

"Okay," he mumbled to Will, his eyes still on the guy he had just been sucking face with. "See you next time, Matty!"

"See ya!"

The two grinned at each other, pointing as if they had been best friends for years. Will tried hiding his disliking, but it proved to show in the end. By the time Will had dragged Nico up the stairs, Nico had caught onto what Will was thinking.

To Nico, he was disgusted by what he had seen. Disgusted that there were two guys making out.

Nico removed his arm from Will's grasp, causing Will to turn and look at him. Nico wouldn't meet his eyes though.

"I can lead myself out."

Will rolled his eyes, gesturing him forward, taking the lead. Nico followed behind, thinking of how disgusted Will was of him. The thought of Will hated him made him want to cry.

When they got outside, Will hailed a taxi, asking the driver to drop them off a few blocks from the palace. The two boys sat in the back, not speaking. After about five minutes, Will glanced over at Nico. The smaller boy was shaking and had his arms wrapped around him like he was cold.

"What happened to your coat?" Will asked, shrugging off his jacket to put around the black haired boy.

Nico shook his head, shoving the warm material away. "No, I don't want it."

Will slide into the middle, reaching out to Nico. Now that he was beside him, he could see why he was trembling to bad. He was crying.

"Are you okay?" Will asked him. "What happened?"

"You hate me now, don't you?" Nico sobbed. Will pulled him into a hug, which Nico leaned into. "You saw me making out with that other guy and now you hate me. I know you do. I'm nothing but a gross, pathetic--"

"No, Nico. Don't say those things."

"But it's true! My dad hates me because of the same reason."

"Nico," Will said gently, holding Nico's face in his hands. Nico looked up into Will's blue eyes. "Nico, you're an amazing person and I don't care if you kiss a girl or boy. Or any other gender for that matter."

Nico sniffled. "Then why did you look so disgusted earlier?"

"I was disgusted with the other guy. Not you."

Nico looked down, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "Oh. Now I feel stupid for crying."

"You're fine," Will assured, patting his back. "You're also drunk, so..."

They both chuckled, melting into a more comfortable silence. The blond offered his jacket again, and this time Nico took it. Will remained in the middle seat, allowing Nico to rest against him. After a moment, Nico started giggling.

"But, man, was he hot. This place has got a lot of cuties."

"Oh, really? Like who?" Will wondered.

"Like you," Nico hummed, snuggling up against his side like he was a kitten. Will's heart skipped a beat.

"W-what?"

"I'm just saying it," Nico mumbled. "It's the truth. Blonde's are attractive in my book."

Will looked out the window, his face completely red. He was glad that Nico was started to doze off cause he wouldn't be able to tease Will for reaction.

***

Will slipped in through the kitchen door with Nico in his arms and was greeted by none other than Kayla and Austin. The two went ahead of his o make sure the coast was clear as they made their way to Nico's room.

Bianca sat on the bed, waiting for the two to arrive. When the door opened, she stood up and watched as Will laid her brother on the bed. Will turned around, seeing Austin in the doorway. Raising a hand, Will caught a bottle of aspirin and caught a bottle of water with the other.

"How much did he have to drink?" Bianca asked as soon at Austin shut the door.

"No idea. I watch him drink a cup of wine in ten minutes."

"Lovely," B grumbled. "We'll just have to wait till the morning then."

"What do we tell my parents?"

"Shit. Leave it to me."

"Okay," Will mumbled, heading to the door. "I'm just going to go then..."

Bianca nodded once, not caring where Will was. Her number one priority at the moment from Nico. And something told her that whatever was going on inside that head of his was something that worried him.


	32. Chapter 31

Nico didn't show up for breakfast the next morning. Bianca used the excuse that Nico had been up late, which wasn't a lie. He had been up late. She just didn't go into the details as to why. Luckily, the king and queen bought it, so no questions were asked.

After eating their food, everyone went off to do whatever they had planned for the day. Bianca and Hazel decided to take a walk in the gardens, Apollo had king duties to attend to, and Rachel had asked Naomi for help with something. Will on other hand was calling an emergency meeting with his closest friends, but Cecil and Lou Ellen couldn't make it till noon.

"What's this meeting about, Will?" Kayla asked as she and Austin came in. "Is it about last night?"

Will shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He forgot that Kayla and Austin weren't there the last time when he had told Cecil and Lou about his possible crush on his fiancé's brother.

The two friends of the prince glanced at each other, not knowing what to do about Will's pacing. They ended up seating themselves down on the couch, following Will's movement with their eyes. None of them said anything till the blonde hair boy suddenly stopped and turned to them and explained a little.

"Sooooo long story short," he took a deep breath before continuing. "I might see Nico as more than a friend."

"What!" the two shouted. Both of them at one began to talk at the same time, making it hard for Will to listen to them, let alone respond. In the midst of their shouting, there was a knock at the door, which Will went to answer.

Cecil and Lou Ellen stood outside the door. When the door had opened, they came in without saying anything. Will would've saved them if they were anyone else, but this was normal behavior for them.

"They were we called here?" Lou asked.

"Will's has a crush for Prince Nico!" Kayla and Austin both creamed.

Will groaned, closing his eyes. He was glad he had already shut the door. The chance of someone hearing them with the door open was a huge possibility. And if the palace servants had heard that... he didn't want to think of the rumors that would be created.

The other two sighed, looking at each other.

"Will, are you positive that you like Nico like that" Cecil asked. "I mean, you've felt like this how many times? Twice? Maybe three times? How can you be sure?"

"Look, guys" Will tried reasoning, "I don't know. That's why I called you guys here. So that you could help me figure this out and maybe help me or give me some advice."

The other four shared a look amongst themselves, all of them silently speaking. After many intense moments, Austin sighed, speaking for everyone.

"Okay, we'll help. Now tell us what happened last night."

Will told the four of them what had happened last night, starting with them leaving the palace and all the way to when they got back. Afterward, they began to process and analyze every detail to figure if Will was right.

"Well?" Will asked after five minutes of silence.

Lou shook her head, standing up.

"We can't determine if you're in love or not. That's only something you can feel and know. All we can do is offer support."

Will looked at the other three for help, but they shrugged, agreeing with Lou. Will sighed, falling back on his bed. It wasn't that he was upset with his friends; he knew they were right, but he wished it were easier to know if his feelings were true.  
  


***

That afternoon after Nico had finally gotten over his hangover, he decided to go get a breath of fresh air, so he went out to the gardens. No one was there, seeing as though it was almost time for supper, but Nico wasn't planning on waiting with everyone. He just felt like being alone today.

While wandering through the gardens, Nico heard movement from an old shed. He'd walked past this shed countless times and knew it was abandoned. None of the servants used it and he knew there were no animals in it. Someone would've gotten rid of them by now.

The boy haired boy approached, looking through a broken window beside the door. It was dark inside but the sun let enough light in to see the person. The seconds he laid eyes on bright red hair, Nico knew who it was.

"Need help?" he asked.

Rachel yelped, startled that someone was there. She started falling back and off the plastic crate he was standing on, but she was caught before she could hit the ground.

"Thanks," she mumbled before turned around to see who it was. Upon seeing Nico, she looked away from him. "Oh. It's you."

Nico let out a deep breath, looking down at the floor, feeling a little shameful. "Yeah, it's me."

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize," Nico admitted. Rachel snapped her head to look at him, glaring as she did so. Nico looked up, meeting her death stare, but ignored it so that he could speak to her directly. "I'm sorry I was so rude to you and I'm hoping that we can put behind us and be friends."

"And why should I?" she hissed, clearly still holding a grudge. Nico didn't blame her for it either.

"It's fine if you don't want to. I'll just let you do... whatever you were doing before."

Nico started to walk away, but Rachel stopped him. He turned back around to look at her. She had directed her glare to the ground, refusing to meet his eyes.

"I could use your help if you're willing."

"Okay."

The rest of the day was spent in the shed. Apparently, Rachel had earned permission to turn it into an art studio but it needed a few repairs. She's also denied any help from a servant, claiming she could do it herself. Once they finished what they could for the day, Rachel realized they had missed dinner.

"There's leftovers in the kitchen," Nico told her. "We can stop by here and get something to eat."

"Do you know what was for dinner?" she asked.

Nico shook his head. "I never do. It's always a surprise for me."

The two walked to the kitchen, the tension from a few hours ago completely gone. They were now friendlier towards each other, but Nico could tell that Rachel was stubborn so it would be a little while before she stopped resenting him. And was willing to wait, however that may be.

The kitchen had very few people in it, seeing as though it were almost ten o'clock. When Nico and Rachel walked in, someone immediately ran up to them asking them what they needed. Before Rachel could answer, Nico stopped the kitchen working, assuring her that they could get what they needed all by themselves. The action confused the red haired girl.

"Why did you offer to get it yourself?"

"Why not?" Nico countered.

"Cause you're a prince. Don't you have people waiting on you all the time?"

Nico shrugged, continuing on with his task of heating up two meals for the two of them. Rachel huffed, annoyed that she didn't get a real answer. She sat down in a seat and watched as Nico prepared their leftovers, now curious about the prince's habits. As tempted as she was to pry, she chose not to.

Five minutes later, a plate was let down in front of her as well as a fork and a glass of water. She thanked Nico while they both dug into their food, neither of them speaking as they did. It didn't take long for the two to finish their meal, surprisingly. When they finished, they set the dishes in the sink and made their way out of the kitchens, only to be stopped by someone.

Bianca.

On the outside, Nico somehow remained calm, but on the inside, he was screaming for help. Rachel, who had no idea what was going on, sensed the tension and decided, now was the best time to take her leave. Once she was out of sight, Bianca grabbed Nico by the arm, pulling him back to his room.

"Tell me now," Bianca demanded, locking the door behind her. "What's up with you lately?"

"B, I swear it's nothing you need to be worried about."

She glared at her little brother, taking steps closer to him. Nico, knowing there was no way out, allowed her to close in on him.

"Really? You think having my brother go out drinking to forget is something I don't need to worry about?"

Nico gulped, looking down. The two didn't utter a word. Bianca knew Nico would tell him, but she couldn't say a single thing cause it would make him take longer. After what felt like an eternity Nico explained, his voice on the verge of tears as he spoke.

"I've been thinking about it for awhile now, but I didn't want to worry you about it till I was sure it was the best decision. So I went to Jason about it yesterday and..."

"And what?" Bianca asked gently, taking Nico's hands and wiping away a tear that had fallen.

"And I'm thinking about giving up my claim to the throne."

Nico completely fell apart after that, falling into his sister's arms. Meanwhile, Bianca paled, knowing what would happen if he gave his right to throne up.

If he gave it up, he'd never have a connection with Hades or Persephone, nor Bianca or Hazel. He'd never be able to visit the castle again. He'd never see their father again. She understood where Nico was coming from and wished she could make his pain.

"Is it because of dad?" she asked.

He nodded into her chest. She bit her lip, squeezing him harder. She wished she hadn't been right about it. The worst part was that there was nothing she could do about it either.

"You know what happens if you don that, right?"

"Of course I do," Nico croaked. "I don't want to cut ties with you or Hazel, but I'm sick of him. He's basically disowned me already, so why not make it official?"

"Nico, l--"

"No! I'm tired of him acting like I don't exist or treating me like I'm some disgusting thing he's forced to deal with. I know you and Persephone, even Hazel, do your best to make him see reason, but he won't... and I just want all the rejection to stop."

"Oh, Nico..." Bianca whispered, kissing the top of his head. "If only I could stop your suffering."  


	33. Chapter 32

Bianca warned Will about why Nico had been moody lately. She didn't tell him exactly why, just that he might go to a friend to talk about some life changing things. Will, at first, was extremely curious about what was brother Nico and tried to get Bianca to say, but she refused. He let it go soon after.

After Bianca had told him the next morning, they went down for breakfast. Will hoped Nico would be there, but no such luck. The smaller boy wasn't going to show up.

Rachel was sitting beside Hazel already, helping the little girl cut her waffles. Over the past few days, Rachel had been warming up to everyone. Hazel seemed to love her. Especially her hair. And from the looks of it, her and Bianca were becoming BFF's. As for Nico, Will had no idea. R, he didn't until later in the meal.

"Where's Nico?" she asked Will and Bianca.

"In his room," Bianca answered. "He had a rough night."

"Oh. Will he be okay?"

She nodded. "He just needs some time alone to think."

Rachel nodded, understanding the circumstances. "If you see him, tell him I'm in the shed if he want's to talk."

Bianca nodded like she knew about the two's relationship. Will glanced between the two, wonder what they knew that he didn't.

"Wait, Nico talked to you?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Will averted his eyes, hoping that the redhead didn't catch whatever emotion he was showing. Unfortunately for him, she did and grinned, not saying anything.

"Nothing. Just a question."

Bianca glanced at him suspiciously but didn't press. She reached for a piece of bacon off her plate but was stopped short by her phone going off. Upon checking it, she saw Nico's contact at the top of her notification.

From: Ghost King

To: Huntress

_Can you bring me some bacon? I don't want to deal with people right now._

She sent him back a quick 'yes' and received a thanks just as fast as she had replied. Bianca filled a small plate with the greasy meat and stood from her chair. Hazel paid no attention; there were waffles in front of her after all. Rachel had a feeling as to what Bianca was doing and nodded in her direction. Will also caught on and scrambled to catch up with her.

"Mind if I join?"

The girl raised an eyebrow. "What's up with you today?"

"What? Me? Nooooo..." he trailed off, rubbing his neck. "I;m just concerned cause I haven't seen his since he went out the other night, ya know?"

She shook her head, choosing not to think about Will's behavior today. She had bigger problems today.

They reached Nico's door in a few short minutes and knock. Nico called out for Bianca to come in, so she did, politely asking Will to wait. He agreed, understanding that this wasn't the time to intervene.

Bianca slipped with the plate in hand. Nico was curled up on the couch, all the lights off and curtains closed. Around the couch were crushed pop cans and an empty bag of chips from the previous night. They had stayed up and watched Doctor Who like they always did when Nico was sad. It also meant that there was a mess that needed to be cleaned up.

"Hey," Bianca whispered, crouching down beside her brother. She gently pushed his hair out of his eyes as she spoke. "I brought you that bacon."

"Thanks," Nico mumbled, taking the plate.

"Will came with me. He wanted to know if you were okay."

"I'm fine," he grumbled, biting in the first piece. "Tell him I'll see him later."

Bianca sighed. "Okay. What are you going to do the rest of the day."

The black haired boy shrugged. "Re-read something maybe. Don't know yet."

His sister nodded, ruffling his hair before standing back up. She knew if she stayed any longer, Will and the others might worry too much and they didn't need that.

"If you need me, just text me, okay? Or call someone if you don't want to talk to me."

He nodded, nibbling on another slice of food. She glanced at him one more time before she shut the door. Once it had clicked shut, she looked back at Will who was leaning against the wall. His eyes shone with curiosity but he didn't ask anything, knowing it was a personal thing to the two siblings. Bianca simply shook her head.

"He'll be fine. I know he will."

Will nodded, letting Bianca lead the way back to the dining room.

***

Nico wandered out of his room sometime after four. It was a one of those lazy Monday's where no one had the motivation to do anything but had everything to do. Bianca had texted Nico telling his that both Apollo and Naomi were busy so there'd be no family dinner in the dining room and that if he did get hungry, to go to the kitchens. But Nico wasn't hungry, despite only having nine pieces of bacon, the crumbs of chips and a mint to eat all day.

He thought about all the places he could go. The library, Hazel's room, where Bianca was, Rachel's art shed... the possibilities were endless, but he didn't want to go to any of those places. So he just wandered up and down the halls, discovering that he still hadn't seen the whole place. And he'd been there for how long now? Two months? Maybe two and a half?

Nico rounded one of the corners and stopped mid-step. He heard a piano being played not too far away. He followed the sound, naturally since it had caught hi attention. The music led him to a large room full of other musical instruments. Drums, guitars, violins, saxophones... really anything you could think of. Even the kazoo was in there, though Nico didn't count that as a musical instrument.

Sitting at a beautiful black piano was Will, his hands gliding gracefully over the black and white keys. Nico watched from the doorway as Will played. It looked like the blonde had been doing this since the day he was born. During the chorus of the song, Will closed his eyes and his lips moved like he was singing the words but no sound came out. As he neared the end, the noise slowed and became quieter till it faded into silence.

"What song was that?" Nico asked, not realizing how loud his voice was in the calm and quiet environment. Due to the large room, his voice echoed but only slightly. Despite that, Will didn't look startled at all.

"Honestly, I don't know. I remember finding the music sheet and memorizing it, but I don't remember the name if it."

"I'm surprised I didn't scare you."

Will gave him a small smile, turning in his direction. "Every time I play I seem to attract someone here. It's nothing new."

"Oh," Nico mumbled, now entering the room. Near the piano was a small sofa, placed just so anyone nearby could come in and listen comfortably. "Mind if I stay?"

"Not at all," Will answered, leaning over to a cardboard box full of music sheets. He seemed to be looking for one in particular. When he found it, he placed it on the music stand and flexed his fingers. Just as he was about to start, he turned to Nico. "I haven't played this in awhile, so sorry if it's bad."

"I doubt it will be."

"Do you care if I sing?"

Nico tried to hide his smile but failed. "Go for it."

Will smiled back, turning back to the piano. After taking a deep breath, he focused his eyes on the paper and just his hands play the music.

At first, Nico simply enjoyed the song. The music was soothing and Will's singing made it even better. He didn't recognize the lyrics and the melody was completely different from anything else he'd normally listen to, but he liked it. A lot, might he add. But it wasn't till he heard the chorus did he really feel a connection with it.

It made him think about the situation he'd been in with his dad the past few years. How he struggled so much, but he still had someone there to encourage him that it wasn't the end. That there was still a way to take back his happiness if he didn't give into all the negativity in his life.

And then he realized Will picked his song on purpose. He knew Nico would be able to relate to it, especially due to what he'd been thinking lately.

The song came to an end and so did Will's singing. Will turned back to Nico to see what her reaction would be, but he didn't expect to see Nico zoned out and crying.

"Are you okay?" Will asked, moving over to the couch.

Nico nodded furiously, wiping away the tears before Will could.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It's okay. I didn't mean to make you cry. I swear! I just thought the song fit you a lot."

"It does," the smaller boy agreed. "It really does."

Will sighed, his hands falling into his lap. "If you need to talk about anything, I'm here for you."

Nico nodded, now trying to think how to bring this up with Will. He trusted Will enough with this. In the end, he decided there was a way to ask for advice without giving away what the real problem was.

"Do you think there's a way I could stand up to my dad and make him understand that I'm not changing? That he's going to have to deal with the way I am and that's it?"

Will's eyes brows frowned as he thought and he bit his lip.

"I think... you tell him upfront exactly how it's going to be. Any even if he doesn't agree with it, you still do it. Don't give up. Don't doubt yourself. Cause once you do that, you're done for."

"Okay," Nico sniffled.

"But you don't have to do it now," Will reminded. "Do it when the times right."

"Okay."

They fell silent. Neither of them knew what to say. Does Will suggest they go play video games, or is it too soon? He knew not to ask what was really wrong, cause that would be pushing Nico too far. Luckily he didn't have to think about it too much cause Nico had thought of something.

"The other night, on the way home... did I say anything, uh, stupid?" He sounded unsure if that was the word. What Nico really wanted to ask was if he asked anything too personal or slipped up with something.

"Well, how much do you remember?"

Nico thought back on it, and it scared Will how long it took for him to reply.

"I remember shoving my tongue down some guy named Matt's throat and someone pulling us apart. I'm assuming that was you?"

"Yeah," Will blushed.

"Okay, what happened after that?"

"Well..." Will choose his words carefully after that, making sure none of his true emotions were in there. "You thought I was grossed out by you making out with a guy and you started crying."

"Ugh!" Nico groaned, covering his face to had his embarrassment. Will grinned, knowing this would just get funnier.

"And then after I assured you that I wasn't grossed out, you admitted you had seen some nice looking people in the kingdom."

"Please don't tell me I gave you a name."

Will blushed, recalling how Nico had called him attractive. But Nico didn't need to know that.

"No, but you did admit you like blonde's."

Nico shot up, grabbing Will by the shoulders.

"Do not tell that to anyone! Do you hear me? Anyone! Especially Percy and Jason."

"Why?"

"They've been trying to set me up on dates for months now. I do not need them trying to set me up with someone that might work."

"What so bad it it did work out?"

Nico let go of him, his face turning into hate. Clearly, he was thinking of something in particular.

"They don't need to have the satisfaction that they were right."

Will laughed. Nico tried to stop him, claiming it wasn't funny at all, but that only caused him to laugh harder. After multiple, futile attempts at making the blonde stop, Nico just left, silently hoping Will died from his laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Will was playing and singing to for Nico was King by Lauren Aquilina. I think it fits Nico really well in this story so I highly recommend you listen to it, cause it's just a good song in general.


	34. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Walks back in over a month later with a new fedora and hot cocoa* 
> 
> I can explain *drinks hot cocoa* at the end.

Over the next few days, everyone fell into a routine. Breakfast, then something similar to classes. Rachel would go with the queen to her private study and start helping her with becoming the Duchess. Will and Bianca went to their couples therapy. Nico tagged along, but that was only so he could stand outside the door as a guard. After the two were done, they’d go to Apollo’s office and get lesson’s and the kingdom’s laws and customs. None of them enjoyed it, and it was times like this Nico was grateful he didn’t have to do any of it.

At two, they were freed of all their royal duties. Bianca always took a nap afterward and Rachel either disappeared into her new study or her art shed. As for the boys, they either hang out or go check up on Hazel. Though there were days where they weren’t around each other as much and a few people -- two girls in particular -- noticed a few things.

Bianca first noticed when she and Nico were walking down the hall one day. She had been rambling on about something she had read online. In the middle of her rant, Will came around the corner, waving as he passed them. Bianca wouldn’t have thought about it twice if she hadn’t noticed her brother's gaze. It was natural to glance at someone who was passing, but Nico’s eyes lingered just a little too long on the blonde as he continued his walk.

The second person to see something was Rachel. At lunch one day, a day Will’s parents were able to join them, they had all gathered at the table. Their plates were stacked with grilled cheese and chips but the chip bowl was out of Nico’s reach. Naturally, he asked the person beside him, Will in this case, to pass it over. When he did, their fingers brushed and Rachel watched as both boys looked away from each other and a light blush dusted their checks.

Since then, both the girls observed the boys closer, both of them slowly picking up on the smallest of things. Simple gestures that a normal person wouldn't have looked twice at.

One day about a week later, Bianca and Rachel had decided to do some of their ‘homework’ together. They had both been given papers to look through and examine the problem and give their opinion on what the solution is. After working on it for an hour, they decided it was a good idea to take a break. That’s when they brought up the subject.

“So…” Rachel started to day, unsure of how to start the conversation, “I’ve noticed that Will and Nico have been, uh, more--”

“Thank goodness,” Bianca interrupted, rubbing her face. “I’m not the only one who’s noticed.”

“Is Nico gay?”

Bianca nodded, sitting up straighter. “And I think Will might be, too”

“Really?” Rachel said, absolutely shocked. “But you two are engaged. Aren’t you mad?”

Bianca blinked at her, then mentally slapped herself. Rachel didn’t know it was an arranged marriage. According to the public, she and Will her in love and had  _wanted_ to get married to each other.

“Funny story, actually. I’m asexual and the marriage was our parent’s decision.”

Rachel’s mouth dropped open. “Those are still around? Who would do that to their kids? Wait-- mine would. Forget that question. But… is Will gay, too? You've seen how Will’s been around Nico, right?”

Bianca nodded. She had come down to this conclusion as well but hadn’t asked him about it. She didn’t know how to ask politely or how to even bring it subtly. Was she just supposed to talk about rainbows and see how he reacted? Maybe fashion?

“Let’s just go ask him,” Rachel said, already standing. Bianca tugged her back into her seat.

“No. He’ll come out when he’s ready. That is if he is gay.”

“Fine,” she sighed. After a brief pause, she asked, “Do you think Apollo and Nomia would support him?”

“Without a doubt, yes.”

She wasn’t lying when he said that. Both of them seemed like the supportive type of parents that would accept him no matter what.

And if also made her a little upset. If Will were gay, that means he’s stuck in a marriage with a girl. An asexual girl at that. Bianca almost laughed at the situation. On the bright side, she’d be living with a more accepting family than the one she grew up with.

A phone went off, pulling Bianca away from her thoughts. Both girls looked over, seeing Bianca’s phone lighting up with Thalia’s name flashing on the screen. She dismissed herself from the room to answer the call. While she was in the hall, Rachel started working again.

Time ticked on and on, and before she knew it Bianca came back in. It felt like fifteen minutes but it had actually been fifty. Not only that, but the dark haired girl looked conflicted over whatever the phone call was about.

“Bianca, are you okay? Did something happen?”

Bianca shook her head, trying to calm her friend. Rachel sounded so worried, but it wasn’t anything bad.

“No, no. It’s, um… Thalia. Apparently, Artemis asked her to join her private army.”

“That’s great! But why do you look so upset?”

Bianca bit her lip before answering. “She also wants me to join. She thinks that Thalia and I would make a good team.”

“Oh… are you going to? I mean, if you can?”

“Yes,” Bianca replied quickly. “In a heartbeat, but I can’t.”

Both girls sighed at the same time. If only there was a way to get out of this stupid arranged marriage…

***

Nico knocked on Hazel’s open door, watching as the little girl snapped her head to see who it was. She giggled and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around her brother. She hadn’t seen him since breakfast, which to her seemed like weeks ago.

“What have you been up to, Little Gem?” Nico asked her.

“I drew a picture for you!”

Hazel ran off to where the picture was on the table. Nico followed her over, but she insisted he not look till she said. Nico listened, not wanted to upset his sister. Seconds later, Hazel said it was okay for him to open his eyes.

The picture had been done in marker, which explained why Hazel’s hands were so colorful. On what was once a blank sheet of paper. From what it looked like, there were three people standing on the grass. Hazel in the middle, Nico to the right and Will to the left. All of them were smiling and happy.

“Nimoa told me that once Bianca and Will get married, Will’s going to be my new big brother, so then I’ll have two. Isn’t that cool? You’ll have another brother, too.”

Nico nodded, happy that Hazel was excited about having another brother. At the same time though, there was something about the statement that felt… unsettling? Not right? Was he just upset that his sister was getting married? No, that wasn't it. So what was it?

Hazel frowned, seeing her brother wasn’t happy. He had made it clear that he liked her picture but he looked unhappy at the mention of last part.

“Nico, don’t you want a new brother, too?”

“Of course I do. It’s just…”  
  
“Wierd?”

“Let’s go with that.”

Hazel stepped away, tapping her chin like she was thinking hard on something. Then, a light bulb went off in her head and she smiled brightly.

“I have an idea! Bianca doesn’t love Will and you two are like best friends, so you two should get married.”

Nico blushed, waving his hands at the idea. There was no way that was possible. Will was attractive, yes, but there was no clear evidence that he liked Nico in anyway or that he was gay. And even if Will had a thing for him, Hades would never allow it. Apollo, maybe, but never his own father.

Bianca walked in, smiling at her siblings.

“What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing,” Nico mumbled, but Hazel’s loud voice drowned out his answer.

“We were talking about Will and Nico getting married.”

Nico looked at the ground, his face red. Bianca looked at her brother, her mouth nearly dropping to the ground. She highly doubted Nico confessed to Hazel about his crush, but the way he was reacting, well, he wasn’t denying anything.

“Nico, did you suggest that?” Bianca asked quietly.

“No,” Nico hissed. “I wouldn't say that. Especially to someone her age.”

“Okay,” she rose her hands in defense. “It was just a question.”

Nico said nothing. All he did was leave the room, clearly upset. Bianca turned to her little sister who was now frowning. Knowing the small child’s mind, she probably thought the situation was her fault.

Bianca reassured Hazel that it wasn’t her fault and that she had nothing to be sorry for. The little girl protested, of course, but Bianca stopped her.

“Hazel, why do you think Will and Nico should get married?”

“Well…” Hazel twisted her hands, trying to think of a proper way to say it. “You don’t love Will, and Will doesn’t love you, but Nico really likes guys so…”

“Is that all?” Bianca wondered, a smile on her face. Hazel briefly glanced up before smiling as well.

“And I think Nico really likes Will and Will really likes Nico. They always seem so happy around each other and they always sit close to each other when they watch movies.”

“Ah, so you’ve seen it too,” the older girl teased. Hazel nodded, happy to know that someone else saw it too.

Then Bianca got an idea.

“Can you do me a favor?” Bianca asked, earned a nod. “Next time you’re with Will, make sure Nico isn’t there first, and ask him what he thinks of Nico. Tell me what he says and if he blushes.”

“Okay, but what do I get?”

Bianca rolled her eyes. Of course Hazel wanted something.

“I’ll get ahold of Thalia and she can send you those chocolates you like.”

“Deal!” she agreed, grabbing Bianca’s hand and shaking it.

The two decided to make their way down to the dining room since supper would be ready soon. Hazel ran ahead while Bianca lagged behind and texted her cousin for chocolate and Rachel about her plan. The redhead replied immediately, already have a plan. She even swore they’d have their answer before they went to bed.

Bianca entered the dining room a few seconds after Hazel, looking up to see the boys were already there. They were standing on their side of the table (the side where only boys sit) playfully pushing each other and laughing. The older girl took notice of their red cheeks and knew it wasn’t just because of the giggling and rough housing. Rachel appeared by her side a moment later, she too saw the boys. Both shared a glance but said nothing.

“Boys!” Naomi scolded as she came in. They each took two steps away from each other. “Enough. Now sit down and calm yourselves.”

They did as they were told, doing their best to keep their laughs hidden. The queen chose to ignore it and turn to the three girls who were sitting. At least they seemed civilized at the moment.

Food was brought out just as Apollo slipped into the room. He apologized for being later and was quickly forgiven by everyone else. Nothing else was said till near the end of the meal when Rachel looked over at Hazel.

“Your coloring pages are almost done,” she told the young girl. “They just need the finishing touches.”

Hazel’s eyes brighten at the mention of coloring pages. She had always loved coloring things, no matter what it was. It could have been a reluctant menu and he’d be content with it even if it only came with three crayons.

“Really?”

“Yep,” the redhead smiled. “You might be able to color one before bed. You just have to pick them up from the art shed.”

Hazel perked up, knowing she’d need someone to take her. And just to Rachel and Bianca’s luck, the younger girl picked up on their plan.

“Can Will take me to pick them up?”

Everyone turned to Will who agreed without a moment's hesitation.

If only he knew what he had just walked into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sips drink again*
> 
> So, I'm not dead or missing so that's good. I've been really busy lately and I will try to explain the best I can.  
> June 8: Got out of school
> 
> June 11: Upated Two Odd Princes; started an unnamed Viktuuri story
> 
> June 19: Sleep over at my friend's house (completely irrelevant but whatever)
> 
> June 22: That moment I realized I hadn't updated this story and that I had writer's block
> 
> June 25: Friend's 15th b-day party
> 
> June 30 - July 7: In the DC area visiting family
> 
> Jully 14 -Jully 16: Family reunion (interesting as you can expect)
> 
> July 18: I UPDATED!!!!
> 
> So that's what I've been doing and stuff. In DC, my sister and I were always busy cause my aunt insisted on taking us everywhere. I wrote maybe 1,000 words over that week long vacation and before the trip I was writing at least 2,500 a day. Now I'm trying to get back into the routine.
> 
> As for that Vikturri story, I mentioned earlier, it's a 12 part story. I'm currently working on part 9 and my friend has been sketching pictures for it which has only motivated me more. That's also one of the reason's I haven't updated in so long. I was kind of distracted by that story and before I knew it two weeks had passed and I was like 'oh shit'


	35. Chapter 34

The following morning, Will was woken up earlier than normal by Hazel. The little girl was still dressed in her pajamas and her hair was a mess but she looked wide awake. Will, well he looked like a zombie who'd gone weeks with any brains.

"Hazel, what are you doing up so early?"

"You said you take me to pick up my coloring pages," she reminded. "Let's go."

Will walked back into his room, Hazel following, and checked his phone. It wasn't even seven yet.

"Hazel, I don't think Rachel's up yet."

"Yeah, she is."

"How do you know?"

Then, with a straight face and a serious tone, she replied with, "Rachel never sleep. She'd like a vampire."

Will rose an eyebrow but didn't question. If what she was saying was true, he honestly wouldn't have been surprised. Rachel seemed like the type of person to pull all nighters and drink an abundance of coffee.

Will changed into his clothes for the day in the bathroom while Hazel waited patiently on the couch. The second he walked out, Hazel was already dragging him out of the room, hardly giving him a chance to grab his phone again. Less than ten minutes later, they had reached Rachel's art shed, and sure enough, the redhead was up.

"Hey," she greeted as they came in. Her hair was a worse mess than Hazel's and she had dark circles under her eyes. On the table she was leaning in was a freshly brewed coffee pot and a steaming mug. "Want some?" she offered, pulling an empty mug out from underneath the table.

"Yes. Thank you."

She nodded, pouring his a cup. Meanwhile, Hazel hoped up in the three legged stool behind her, picking up a folder. Inside were the coloring pages Rachel had made just for her. They were perfect, needless to say. The lines her straight and had flawlessly drawn curves and spikes for each page.

One page had a butterfly flying around and a garden in the background. Another one was of a pond with fishes and frogs swimming in the water. Many of them were of nature like that but his favorite was of the sun rise. Very few things in the world would top that scene.

"Will, I have a question," Hazel said.

"Shoot," the boy said.

"Do you like Nico?"

"A--As a friend, yes," Will stammered, a blush spreading across his face.

"Do you like Bianca?"

"Yeah..."

"But which do you like more?"

"What do you mean?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow. Obviously, she was trying to get something out of him.

"Would one would you rather kiss?"

Will looked over a Rachel like she would help him out there, only the red head seemed to be waiting for the answer as well. Then it dawned on him that this whole arrangement was a set up to make him confess.

Slowly, he started to step back, head for the door. Unfortunately for him, Rachel beat him to it. She pulled a stool up in front of it and took a seat, making it clear he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

The blonde closed his eyes. Boy, how this was going to be a long day.

***

"Where's everyone else?" Nico yawned as he sat down at the table for breakfast. Bianca was the only other person there, and he knew for a fact that they weren't the only ones up. Last he checked, it was 8:53. Will was always up at least an hour before him and Hazel was usual Nico's alarm clock.

Bianca sipped her coffee, shrugging. "Don't know," she answered. "But it's Sunday so we don't have anything to do today, so I was thinking me and you could hang out. We haven't done that in a while?"

Nico agreed though he had his suspicions. He and Bianca had sibling bonding days all the time but this one seemed like a trap. One that he couldn't get out of even if he tried.

"Okay. What do you have in mind?"

"When was the last time you practiced with your sword?"

"Two days ago? Why?"

"Let's go," Bianca said, dragging him along behind him. Nico tried to stand his ground, but his sister wouldn't allow it. It only took seconds for Nico to dive into her demands. As they left the room though, Nico glanced back at his unfinished breakfast. He hadn't even gotten to eat half his waffle.

***

Three hours passed before Will started to crack. The shed was hot due to the window and the door being shut. He was also hungry from missing breakfast and wanted to shower. Sadly, he knew there was only one way of getting what he wanted.

Will turned to Rachel who was still sitting on a stool in front of the door. She was slouched done, resting her chin on her fist and loosely holding an empty mug in her hand. Hair covered his face and when Will moved it out of her eyes, he realized she had fallen asleep.

"Rachel?" he whispered.

"Hmm," she answered, still sleeping.

"Rachel."

He shook her shoulder gently and she straightened up, blinking repeatedly. The mug fell from her hand as well, though it didn't break. She looked at Will and it was clear that Rachel could fall asleep again at any given moment.

"What?" Rachel managed to say without her eyes falling closed.

"For your own sake, I'm going answer your question. Then you can go inside and sleep, okay?"

She nodded, trying her hair up. Will couldn't imagine how the two girls survived his long in this heat. There was no way their long hair had helped.

"Yes, I do have feelings for Nico."

"I knew it," she mumbled, moving to stand. Will did her the favor of moving the stool to its original spot and opening the door right away.

"If you already knew, why'd you need me to say it?"

Rachel shrugged. "Needed to hear you admit it."

"Don't tell anyone, okay? You too, Hazel."

Both girls nodded, walking back inside. Will and Hazel followed Rachel back to her room, making sure she didn't fall asleep on the way there, which seemed like a likely possibility. Once the redhead had entered her room, she collapsed onto her bed like the sight of it just made her unconscious. Will moved her so her head was on the pillow and Hazel threw a small blanket over her. Then the two left the room, decided to get some food from the kitchen.

The kitchen was busy, as expected for the time of day. Will diced it was best if they took their lunch back Hazel's room and watch something on the TV. The younger girl chose to watch children's cartoon, of course. Half way through Will had a question that he knew no one would answer but her.

"Hey, Hazel?"

"Yeah," she said, eyes glued to the screen.

"Does Nico like me?"

"I think so," she answered truthfully. Will smiled at that. At the idea of Nico liking him the same way he liked Nico. Nothing could've been better than that.

***

That afternoon, Bianca and Nico were back in Nico's room watching a movie. His sister had recently bought a movie called 'Pride'. It was about the gay and lesbian community in London during 1984 who went on strike. Nico had heard of the movie before but never sat down and watched it, so when Bianca brought it up, Nico couldn't help but feel a little suspicious.

At the end, while the credits were playing, Bianca and Nico talked about the movie and that's when Bianca started asking the question Nico had been waiting for.

"Have you gone out with anyone recently?"

"Not really. Why?"

"Who was the last?" Bianca avoided the question. Nico rolled his eyes, decided to give her a vague answer and hope that was enough for her.

"A blonde guy. Hot, with gray eyes."

"What made his hot?" Bianca smirked.

"He had nice abs," Nico confessed. "But we decided to break things off because he had to leave town for multiple reasons."

"Ah. I see. When was this?"

Nico thought for a moment before replying, "A few months ago, but it wasn't anything serious. It could've been but we didn't get the time to make it serious."

"I'm sorry."

Nico shrugged. "Nothing you can do about it. Besides, there's plenty of other hot blondes out there."

"Blonde's?" Bianca grinned. Then he realized his mistake. "Like Will?"

"B, you know I don't--"

"No, no. It's fine if you have a crush on my fiancee. I don't mind."

Nico clenched his jaw shut, irritated with Bianca's interrogation. He hated that Bianca thought he liked Will, but hated it more when he was reminded that they were engaged. Bianca picked on Nico's mood and tried to apologize but Nico had already gotten up and left the room. She was tempted to run after him but knew now wasn't the time.

Twenty minutes later, however, was the time. She immediately checked his favorite spot in the gardens, finding him there. He was sitting on a stone bench, his knees pulled to his chest and his gazed fixed on the water fountain. When Bianca sat down next to him, he said nothing and didn't move.

"I'm sorry," Bianca apologized. When Nico said nothing, she continued. "I shouldn't have assumed you liked Will or that teased you like that. It's just... you two look so close, you know? But I won't say anything about it anymore. I promise."

Nico still didn't say anything and Bianca started to feel guilty. She was even on the verge of tears thinking that Nico was that mad at her. But then he spoke and his voice was so quiet.

"I... I don't know how I feel about him, alright? That's why I'm so irritated by everyone when they bring the whole thing up."

Bianca bit her lip. She knew that what he said wasn't the complete truth. Nico knew how he felt even though he was still confused with the whole situation.

"What's holding you back?"

Nico sighed, resting his chin on his knees. "A lot of things. We're both princes. You and Will are engaged. Dad would never approve. Will's parents might, but not our dad."

"Okay, but what if those things weren't a problem? If none of us were royal? If Will and I weren't to be married? Would you..."

She didn't need to finish because Nico caught on to what she was thinking. She watched as her brother thought on it a little more before sighing again. Bianca felt slightly upset, knowing that her brother couldn't think of another reality where things worked in favor.

"Maybe," he confessed, shocking Bianca. "But still," and there it was, "it's not possible. Not with our situation."

Bianca sighed, looking at the fountain as well. With one hand, she reached out and rubbed Nico's back, knowing it was the only action she could do to comfort him. 


	36. Chapter 35

The next day, Bianca and Will were called to Apollo's office. Nico waited outside, knowing that as a guard he wouldn't be allowed in. Besides, it's not like he wanted to be in there. They were talking about boring things that didn't concern him.

Naomi was also in the room as well, but that wasn't anything unusual. She was normally with Apollo when the kids were called into his office. The only difference about this meeting was that they had no idea what it was for.

"We have to discuss Will's birthday ball," the queen announced. Everyone one in the room --Apollo included-- let out a tired groan.

"Honey, I thought we agreed not to call it a ball," Apollo said. "It makes it sound girly."

"It does," Bianca agreed. Will nodded in agreement. Naomi ignored their complaints and continued.

"This is a great opportunity for you two to show that you two have grown closer."

Will raised an eyebrow. "Why do I feel like you're going to ask something that you already know the answer to?"

Naomi glanced at Apollo. He sighed, rubbing his face. Then said, "We think that it would be a good time to show the public that you two are into each other."

"Meaning?" Bianca inquired.

"Meaning your first public kiss."

Both Will and Bianca looked uncomfortable with the idea. In Bianca's lap, her hand twitched and Will noticed it, though the adults didn't seem to. For both their sakes, Will jumped in and tried to reason with them but was cut off by her mother.

"You don't have to, but at least consider it. Please? The press is waiting for it and if they don't see the relationship progressing further, then things will be uncovered and get out of hand."

The couple in question looked at each other once, then away. The parents knew it was a horrible thing to suggest, but it needed to be done. At some point, at least.

The rest of the meeting consisted of little things for Will's birthday banquet, which was now the name for it. Afterward, they moved on to wedding plans.

Apparently, Hades had insisted that the wedding is held before the end of the year, giving them five months to do so. Fortunately, Will's parents had already decided to have the wedding at the beginning of December. The location and date were already finalized which just left them with decorating, flowers, rings, and suits and dresses. Most of that was up to Will and Bianca, but Naomi was more than willing to lend a hand if needed.

Hours later, too many hours if you asked anyone, the meeting ended. Will and Bianca left the room the second they were given the okay to leave, and the seconds the door was closed, Bianca let her rage show. Without a word, she stalked away, leaving the boys to stare in bewilderment.

"What happened during the meeting?" Nico asked, still staring at the hall Bianca walked down. It was the direction of her bed room, meaning Nico was now off duty of being a bodyguard.

"Long story," Will sighed.

"I've got all day."

The blonde gave him a tired smile. "Let's go get something to eat first."

***

Will told Nico everything. He waited until the end to tell him about the kiss that they were supposed to at least think about it. Nico's reaction to that news was something Will couldn't place, but he knew Nico thought negatively about it. They moved on from the topic of weddings and kissing to birthdays.

"When is your birthday?" Nico asked.

"September 4th."

Nico nodded. Will glanced at him only to see Nico with a certain look. One that meant he was planning something. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, so he'd just have to wait and see.

They ended up watching a random movie on Netflix for about an hour. Nico thought it would be a good idea to go check up on his old sister and see if she had calmed down at all and wanted to talk. Will also thought it was a good idea though he wished Nico would at least stay for the rest of the movie.

The first place Nico checked was Bianca's room. When she wasn't found there, he went to Hazel's room. Hazel was there with her nanny, but no sign of Bianca. Hazel said she hadn't even seen her since breakfast. His last thought as to where his sister would be was with Rachel, so he sent her a quick text, receiving a text moments later.

 **To:**  Me

 **From:**  Red

_She's out with her bow. She'll be back soon. Around dinner._

After reading that, he decided to go and see Rachel in her shed, hoping she could tell him something. Clearly, his sister was upset, but he didn't know if that meant angry or sad, and from the looks of it, Rachel would know.

The door to her shed was open, like always. She was sitting on a stool in front of an art easel, painting away with lots of blue colors. Out of curiosity, Nico went to stand by her a see what it was.

It was a sun set on an ocean. At the angle, the painting was being done the sun was on the left and showed part of a sandy beach. To the right was a large cliff and off in the distance was a castle. Upon closer speculation, Nico recognized it at his cousin's castle.

"You know Percy?" Nico wondered out loud.

"I met him a few times," Rachel answered. "Had a crush on him too, but he has Annabeth, so I learned to let go."

Nico nodded a few times, allowing silence to fill the gap before asking about Bianca. Rachel sighed sadly, setting the paints aside.

"Did she tell you about Artemis?" The redhead asked, earning a shack of the head in response. She continued to explain. "Artemis's offered her and Thalia a job. Thalia already took it, but Bianca can't because of the engagement."

"Oh," Nico whispered. Rachel nodded.

"Artemis said she's going to talk to Apollo about it, but Bianca's more worried about your guys' dad. She said that he's not as... accepting."

Nico snorted. "That's one way to put it."

There was a brief pause. Rachel exclaimed the dark haired boy's face, then came to a conclusion.

"He's homophobic, isn't he?"

He took a deep breath and nodded. "He's practically disowned me. When Bianca and Will got engaged, I was allowed back at the castle for the first time in two years."

"That's horrible!" she exclaimed.

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p'. "But that's life for ya."

"I hate life," Rachel grumbled and Nico chuckled in agreement. "My parents are fucking control freaks. You guys are the first real friends I've had in my entire life."

"Well, I'm honored then," Nico smiled, placing a hand over his heart. Rachel smiled back over to him.

"Don't let that get to your head," she joked.They both laughed a little, then Rachel went back to painting with Nico watching. And so he relaxed, watching the smooth paint strokes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was thinking about updating last night but then I left the house and bought books instead. I also upgraded my phone for a note 4 to a galaxy s6 and I'm very pleased with it.
> 
> As for updating, there may not be one next week. I don't remember if I've mentioned this or not (I think I have though) but I just finished up a 12 chapter Yuri!!! On Ice fic. I've been working on it all summer and it needs massive editing. A friend and I are starting that tomorrow and I'm hoping to have it up by the end of summer, if not then just wait for it. I also typed it on one Google doc which I now regret, but hey, I know the total words and I want to die because of it.
> 
> Page: 138
> 
> Words: 51,376
> 
> For me, school starts on September 5th. Not really looking forward to it but two plus sides, 1) It's my last year. 2) I only have 3 classes first tri. No 1st or 3rd hour, so the way I see it is sleep in and nap time. 
> 
> If I do take a mini break from writing/editing, I'm going to go read Les Mis and the Hamilton book by LLM.
> 
> Also, if you didn't know, I have a Tumblr (2 actually). I've had it for a while but I don't bring it up often and I just made an Instagram account which I doubt I'll use very often. There's a Pinterest account too. I have a board for this book but I'll be opening it for others to see later after the whole things done because there are spoilers.  
> Tumblr: starlight-88 / starlight-88-fanfictions   
> Instagram: __Starlight__88  
> Pinterest : Starlight_88


	37. Chapter 36

Nico headed to Bianca’s room to see if she was there. It was almost time for dinner, so he knew there was a good chance she was back by now. If not… he’d cover for her and go out and find her, hopefully without attracting any attention. Lucky for him, that wouldn’t be needed. His sister was in her room, furiously jabbing her console controller. Slowly he approached her, sitting down beside her as she swore someone out over her head set. This continued for a few more minutes before she set it aside, bathing in the silence around her.

Neither one said anything for a moment, neither of them knowing where to start. Then, at the same time, they opened their mouths but closed them when they saw the other’s was opened. Nico opened his again, speaking first.

“Rachel mentioned that you were upset about something,” Nico started. “Want to talk about?”

And so she began to vent her problems out to her brother. Everything from the wedding to the kissing, from this damned arrangement to the proposal from Artemis. At the end, she flopped back on the couch, her legs thrown over Nico’s lap and one arm over her eyes.

“I don’t know what to do,” she whined, then sighed. “I wish I could just leave being a princess behind and join you, you know? Actually, do something and have the freedom to control my life.”

Nico snorted. “You mean working your butt off to make minimum wage and pay bills while you eat old leftovers from the fridge?”

Bianca lightly kicked him, both of them giggling slightly. In the end, they skipped dinner, deciding it was best since Bianca was stressed from news and such. Rachel checked in with them to make sure everything was okay and promised to bring food up after dinner. Then the texting abruptly stopped. Nico suspected she was caught at the table with her phone.

***

Back at the dining table, Naomi was worried about Bianca. Apollo assured her she’d be fine but it didn't do anything to help his wife. In fact, it just made her more upset. Apollo was treating the situation like it was nothing. Once he finally realized that he was making her mood worse, it was too late. She had already left the room and Apollo sighed heavily.

“Look’s like I’m out on the couch tonight,” the king declared, tired sounding. The kids all understood but had no pity for him.

“Good luck with that, sir,” Rachel said, finishing her last bit of dinner, then quickly dismissed herself.

Rachel had been told multiple time by both Apollo and Naomi that she could call them by name, not by titles. It was easier for her to speak to the queen while using her name, but Apollo’s… something about referring to him by his name in person just felt weird to her. He was the most powerful person in the whole kingdom after all. So she settled with calling him ‘sir’.

As promised, Rachel went straight to the kitchens to bring to the di Angelo siblings. She didn’t know which snacks to pick, so she simply asked the servants for their favorites. Luckily, they had them all in one of the pantries and ready to be eaten. After a quick thank you, the redhead made her way to Bianca’s room.

Nico and Bianca were on the couch with gaming remotes in hand and a combat game pulled up. Rachel wasn’t sure which game it was, but they looked to be fighting on the same side. She waited till the round was over before she interrupted.

“I got the stuff,” she stated.

“All the stuff?” Nico asked.

“You bet. I even brought the cocaine,” she joked, holding up a package of Fun-Dip. The siblings grinning, each taking one of their choosing.

Bianca put the games away and the three sat around chatting. It was casual at first, then Rachel brought up Bianca’s troubles again. At first, she tried to change the subject, but her brother also thought it was a good idea to talk about it.

“You can’t avoid it forever,” Nico countered.

“And we might be able to help,” Rachel added.

Bianca sighed, rolling her eyes. She knew there was no way out.

“What do you propose, Nico?”

Rachel threw her arms up. “Why do you go straight to Nico? I can help too,” she defended.

“So you’ve had experiences kissing?”

“Never said I haven’t.”

“But have you?” B inquired. Rachel bit her lip, looking away. “Thought so,” she smirked. The redhead nudged her with her foot slightly, earning a chuckle from the raven haired girl.

Nico looked back at his sister with a confused expression. “What makes you think I know what to do? I’ve never been in this type situation.”

“But you’ve kissed plenty of guys.”

“So?”

“How do you kiss a guy?”

“How do you think?” Nico sassed. “You put your lips on his and you smooch.”

“You’re no help,” she replied, clearly not amused.

Nico slouched, now bored with the two girls. He picked himself off the floor where he had seated himself and left the room. Once he was out, Bianca turned to Rachel.

“You got anything?”

“Well…” Rachel mumbled, wondering if she even suggested it. In the end, she figured it was better than nothing. “Maybe you and Will should, I don’t know, practice kissing? So it doesn’t look weird for when in public.”

Bianca hesitated, think for a moment. I made sense… but kissing was just so out of her comfort zone for her. It required being close to someone else and touching. Not only that, but it meant being really close to someone’s face which was awkward enough.

“It’s an idea…” she mumbled. Rachel chuckled. She’d never seen the young princess so uncomfortable. It was kind of funny.

“Let’s nothing think about it too much,” Rachel said, saving Bianca from whatever she had been thinking. She then held up one of the video game controllers. “Up for a round of Rocket League?”

Bianca grinned, now back to her normal self. “You bet.”

***

In the end, Bianca decided to take Rachel’s advice. Or at least attempt to. Meaning she had to at least be able to suggest it to Will without fleeing because just saying out loud made her want to vomit.

So the next evening she went to Will’s room. She had been avoiding him all day and mentally preparing herself for this all day, yet she didn't feel ready. But then again, when would she be ready?

Bianca stopped in front of the door, biting her lip. Raising her fist, she gently knocked on the door four times and waiting. From the other side, she heard feet shuffling and saw the handle of the door twist.

Too late to turn back now.

“Oh, hey, Bianca,” Will greeted, a little surprised to see her there. Bianca didn’t meet his eyes, so he stepped aside to let her in, shutting the door behind her. “What’s up?”

She took a deep breath and spoke. “It’s about that… that  _thing_ from yesterday.”

“Oh,” Will whispered, averting his gaze to the floor. “So, uh, what were you thinking?”

“Well, Rachel suggested something...”

“Okay,” Will encourage.

“She said that we should practice it?” Bianca said, a little unsure. She looked up at Will to see a light blush dusting his cheeks. For a moment he didn’t say anything, then stuttered.

“I-I mean, I guess it makes sense… Are you okay with that?”

“Not really,” she gulped. “But why make our first,” she paused, closing her eyes for a second before continuing, “kiss public. It'd be weird, right?”

Slowly, Will approached her, placing his hands on her shoulders. He didn’t look like he was going to lean in. Instead, he looked at Bianca with much concern.

“B, you looked extremely uncomfortable with this. I’m not going to make you do this if you truly don’t want to.”

“I know,” she whispered. “But I need to get comfortable with this.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” she assured, though it didn’t sound genuine. Will sighed, knowing she wouldn’t be giving this up anytime soon.

“Okay… Um, let’s sit on the couch.”

She nodded, and they made their way over to the couch. The silence weight down on them, heavy and awkward like. Once they were seated, they slid closer to one another. It reminded Bainc of those movies where two teens were at a party and shoved together but neither of them wanted to be in the situation.

Will hesitantly rested one hand on the side of Bianca's neck. She had to hold herself back from flinching away from the touch. To steady herself, she gripped Will's arm, not hard, but enough to keep her from shaking. The two didn’t look at each other once they were touching, knowing they’d both chicken out, so they closed their eyes and started to lean it. Everything was fine till Bianca felt Will’s breath.

Her eyes shot open, which she told herself not to do multiple times, and she looked at will. He was less than four inches from her face and getting closer. Before their mouths could touch, she shoved him off and fled the room. On the outside, she looked pained, but on the inside, she was screaming.

Will did nothing to chase after her, knowing he was the last person she wanted to see right now. Will, of course, didn’t blame her and hoped she was okay. He knew that she had gone to Rachel. The redhead seemed to be everyone’s go to when things went wrong. And since Rachel had been taken, Will went to Nico.

He crossed the hall, knocking on the door. Once he had to the okay to come in, he walked in, flopping down face first onto the bed. Nico had been laying on top of the covers, scrolling through his phone, but put it aside to help the blonde.

“What’s wrong?”

So Will explained what had happened in the past few minutes. At the end, Nico looked disgusted. Or so Will thought that’s what it was.

“That’s gross. You tried to kiss my sister.”

“Her idea. Not mine,” Will defended.

“Still,” Nico huffed, his nose crinkling. “She’ll be fine, but it’ll be awkward for the next few days.”

Will sighed like he was exhausted. “Great.”

Nico then sat up, a grin on his face. Will raised an eyebrow, wondering what the other boy was going to say.

“I have good news.”

“And what’s that?”

“I got us fake ID’s,” the black haired boy stated.

“Nico!”

“And we’re going drinking for your birthday.”

“That’s illegal.”

“Yes, in this kingdom but not the next one over.”

“Nico no.”

“Nico yes.”

Will sighed, falling back on the bed. Nico crawled over, grinning down at him.

“Is that a yes?”

Will looked up at him, glaring slightly. Then he waged his options.

He was turning seventeen. In most kingdom’s is was legal to drink at the age of sixteen. The Sun Kingdom was one of the few that had a higher drinking age. If he left the kingdom, with or without a fake ID, it’d be okay to drink. Just as long as he didn’t do it in his native country,

But at the same time, he was still a citizen of the Sun kingdom. Not only a citizen but the prince. If he was caught… that wouldn’t make their country look good at all.

But that was only if he got caught.

“If I agree, you can’t get wasted like you did last time.”

“I swear I won’t. Plus, B, Jason and the other will be there.”

“Others?” the blonde asked.

“Thalia and Piper.”

“And do we really need fake ID’s?”

“Well, we can’t just waltz in there as princes.”

“True,” Will admitted. He then gave in, saying that he’d go. Nico cheered, pumping his fist in the air and Will couldn’t help but laugh. It was a cute thing to see in his mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just found out how to check my statistics on here. I now feel like an idiot.   
> I start school Tuesday. I'm not ready.  
> Hope, y'all are having a good day!


	38. Chapter 37

Three days later, an invitation arrived from the Sky Kingdom. According to what Zeus had said, it was a week long stay at his castle and the invitation reached out to all the older kids, meaning everyone but Hazel. The little girl was upset she could go, but quickly cheered up when they promised to bring her back her favorite candy.

The morning they left, they all piled into a carriage. Things had been awkward between Will and Bianca. The blonde did his best to make things go back to normal but Bianca couldn't even look at him without cringing at the memory from days before. The other two noticed, no explanation needed. All they could do to help was to keep the tension away, which wasn't hard at.

To keep themselves occupied on the trip to the Sky Palace, they argued over music for the most part. The boys wanted to play Fall Out Boy and the girls wanted to listen to the Beatles. The girls won in the end.

By the time they reached the Sky Palace, the sun was setting. Thalia and Jason were out sitting on the steps. Thalia was laying on one step, tapping her foot to whatever she was listening to while Jason looked more alert.

When the carriage came to a halt, the boys left first with the girls following behind. Bianca rushed over to Thalia, scaring the crap out of her. Rachel caught up and introduced herself to the other girl. Meanwhile, the boys went to take care of all the luggage.

"Hungry?" Jason asked as he helped grab one of the bags.

"Um, is that even a question?" Nico sassed.

Jason chuckled. "There's food inside waiting for you guys."

The six of them ran inside, handing their bags over to a few servants before being lead to where the food awaited them.

In the dining hall, the table had three different dishes set out. All simple but perfect after a long day of traveling. Upon entering the room, Rachel found all the chairs empty. Curious, she asked the others where the king and queen was. The Grace siblings shared a glance before Thalia decided to explain.

"To be honest, Zeus is a dick for the most part. Not around much. And stay clear of Hera cause she's a bitch."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Way to sugar coat it."

His sister only shrugged, picking up a plate and filling it. The others followed suit and moved to one end of the table. From there, Bianca and Thalia ganged up on Jason.

"So," B smirked. "Have you proposed to Piper yet?"

Jason nearly choked on his water, earning a giggle from everyone.

"We've been dating for six months," Jason countered. "Why would I propose now?"

"So you have been thinking about it? Thalia grinned.

Jason blushed, doing his best to avoid the question. Unfortunately, it wasn't working. Rachel sat there, confused as could be. Nico did her the favor of giving her a quick summary of Jason and Piper's relationship. Afterwards, everything made more sense.

Ten more minutes passed before the Sky prince chose to flee the room. His sister and Bianca were in hysterics, nearly falling out of their chairs laughing. Nico waited till they composed themselves to ask what the plan was.

Thalia straightened up, wiping tears from her eyes, then answered. "Well, we did tell Apollo that this is meant to be an 'educational' trip for Rachel and the soon-to-be-married couple. The first thing we gotta do is get you guys a history lesson."

"What about Nico?" Rachel asked.

"Nico's here as a guard. He doesn't have to do anything."

"Yes," Nico whispered while the others protested. Thalia reached over, high-fiving the black haired boy. "Perks of being disowned!" he joked. Everyone laughed, though it was a terrible truth.

"And the rest?" Bianca chuckled.

"I think it would be easiest if we sneak out Wednesday night. The club that Jason sneaks out to."

"Anyone else meeting us there?" Rachel asked. "Like this Piper girl I've been hearing so much about."

"Maybe," the Sky princess mumbled. "She's not too big on the alcohol, though you'll probably meet her while you're here. She stops by a lot."

They starting eating their food again. Jason came back halfway through their meal, seating himself down quietly. By the end of dinner, the hour who had been traveling all day was finally hit with a wave of tiredness. Bianca and Thalia went up to Thalia's room and Jason led the other to their rooms. They were all next to each other, as well as B's room; she just wasn't staying in it tonight.

Rachel immediately went into her room, falling onto the bed. Jason dismissed himself not too long afterward, claiming he had to be up early for some reason. That left Will and Nico standing in the hall.

"You excited to go drinking for the first time?" Nico asked.

"I'm more nervous than excited," Will admitted. "I mean, what if I'm one of those stupid drunks and get something stupid tattooed onto my forehead."

Nico laughed. "Don't worry. We won't let that happened. And, if I'm being honest, I think you'll be more of a sappy drunk."

"Great," Will grumbled.

Nico laughed bidding the blonde good night. Will watched as he entered his room before going to his own. Once he was inside he began to actually worry about what his drunken state would be.

What if he confessed his feelings to the younger boy? How would he react?

Will decided it was best to try and get some sleep instead of worrying about it. Problem was he couldn't fall asleep that night.

***

The next two days were boring for Rachel, Will, and Bianca. The Grace's would lead around the halls of the palace, giving them history lessons on the architecture of the palace, and very detailed descriptions of war painting and portraits of nobles.

Nico, who should have been with Bianca, acting as his guard, stayed behind and did his own thing. At dinner, when it was just the kids eating, Jason would ask what the boy had been up to. Much to Will's surprise, he did a lot more things than normal.

For example, he played online Mythomagic. Will knew he played the game when he was younger but had no idea that he was still playing it. It was news to Bianca as well.

"Why?" Bianca asked him. "So you can see how many twelve-year-olds trash talk you?"

"Um, no," Nico sassed, then continued in a proud tone. "As of recently, it had been confirmed that the Grand Mythomagic Tournament is being held at the end of December in Esyain. If all goes well, I will be able to qualify."

"What the reward?" Thalia snorted. "A life-size statue of a goblin?"

"First, there are no goblins in the game. And second, the reward is 10 thousand dollars, and you get to help design one of the five rare cards that come out that year."

"Is there a trophy?" Jason asked.

"No, but there is a crown, a fancy sash, and a ceremonial sword."

"Nice," he nodded.

Bianca forced the subject to change, claiming that the conversation was too nerdy. The rest of the evening, the four older kids went off and did their own thing, leaving behind Will and Nico. They didn't feel left out, more like they wanted. So they went back to Nico's room and Will asked if he could see the Mythomagic master at work.

Nico agreed with much enthusiasm.

The black haired boy started up his laptop and logged into his account at lightning speed. In the corner, Will caught a glimpse of his username.

"Ghost_King_1924," Will spoke out loud. "Thought you outgrew out of that nickname."

"Shut it, Sunshine," Ghost King mumbled, clicking on the 'Request Game Invitation' button.

It took twenty minutes for someone to invite Nico into a game. In the meantime, the shorter boy explained to him how the online game worked.

Around the time Nico really started to get into the game, the online game was in beta testing. Ever since they'd started putting codes on the cards so that you could enter it in online and have it there. Along with the online version was the levels. Depending on what place you ended on in each game determined the number of experience points you got.

Nico's current level was 75.

"How high do the levels go up to?"

"The top ten are near !12 last I checked," he replied, clicking a button. "That's why I need to play more if I want to qualify for championships."

"And when do they pick those people?"

"Beginning of October. They'll get ahold of the top five hundred players and invite them for qualification rounds. If you're good enough then you're accepted for the championships on December."

"Best of luck then."

Nico nodded, his eyes scanning the screen. He had been invited to two games and was debating which one to join. After a moment, he chose the first invite with three other people.

The game started right away. Nico had picked one of his eight decks, then waiting for the others to select theirs. Once they had, everyone rolled a dice to figure out the order of everyone. The person with user 'Doge-666' went first, placing down a blue land card and a soldier on top.

The next person went, and then the next. Nico went last. He did what the others had done, placing down at least one land card as well as something to protect said land. When he went to pull more cards, Will read the description, health, and attack damages.

Now, Will was no expert on Mythomagic but he had a feeling these were some good cards. And that Nico would have no mercy on the other players.

***

Wednesday night rolled around quicker than expected. The girls were excited to be getting out of boring royal duties and Jason was just happy that'd he'd be seeing Piper for the first time all week.

Nico had called his personal chauffeur, Jules-Albert, to come pick them all up. The man had shown up at nine and they all piled in, heading to the club that Jason had suggested. On the way there, Nico explained to Will how he got his own chauffeur.

Long story short, Nico was given his own chauffeur when he was twelve because he went into the city a lot and it was easier for him to have one driver. He also got to keep the same driver after Hades kicked him out, though no one knew why really. Not even Nico.

Forty minutes later, they pulled up the club. Right outside the place, Piper waited for them, much to Jason's happiness. He ran out, pulling his girlfriend into a hug. While the two lovebirds caught up over the past few days, the others went inside.

The club was easy to get into, thanks to Thalia. They walked down the stairs and into the basement of the building where the main clubbing area was. Loud music made the whole place shake and lights of all colors flashed, changing every few seconds. The dance floor was crowded with people, most of them being drunk. The girls and Nico ignored them, pulling Will along with them to the bar.

All five of them took a seat and Bianca waved the bartender over, quickly ordering their drinks. At the end, Thalia told him to start a tab for them under the name of Grace. Will panicked a little and, thinking that by using their real last name they'd be caught. Nico laughed at that.

"Will, do you know how many people have that as a last name?"

Will blushed, now feeling stupid. "A lot."

"Exactly."

Five shot glasses were set out in front of them with an amber colored liquid. Everyone took their shots but Will. The other turned to him, seeing his hesitance. He looked up at Nico, biting his lip.

"Promise me you won't let me get wasted?"

"Have you ever drank before?"

"I had a sip of wine last year, but I don't think that counts."

"It doesn't,' Nico agreed.

"Then no."

"Then I make no promise."

Will sighed, his eyes turning to his drink. He lifted a little mumbling to himself.

"Here goes nothing."

He took his shot, earning loud cheers from the others. Once it had gone down all the way, a warm feeling filled his body. Nico laughed, watching as Will reacted to his first drink.

Patting his shoulder, Nico asked, "What drink do you want?"

"What do you recommend?"

Nico thought about it, looking the blonde up and down. Will blushed, though Nico didn't seem to notice it, or he ignored it at least.

"You look like a whiskey on the rocks kind of guy."

Will went along with what Nico said, ordering the drink. Seconds later he was handed a glass. Looking to the side, he saw Nico with a glass as well, though he couldn't tell what it was. Regardless, they both sipped at their drinks.

Jason came in with Piper not long after, each taking a seat at the bar. Neither one of them drank, seeing as though they had made themselves the designated drivers of the night. Instead of sitting and doing nothing, they danced and enjoyed themselves.

Twenty minutes into the night, the girls had run off onto the dance floor, staying apart from Jason and Piper. Not long after, Nico pulled Will away from the bar and to a different spot of the dance floor.

The night continued on like that. At some point, Nico had left Will at the bar so that he could use the restroom. While he was off doing his business, the blonde ordered himself another drink. Then, out of nowhere, Bianca plopped down beside him, startling him. She giggled before taking his glass and sipping from it.

"Where's Nico?" Bianca slurred, clearing drunk.

"Bathroom. Why? I can go get him," Will offered, already moving from his seat. B pulled him back to sit.

"I don't want him seeing this."

"Seeing what?"

"This."

Bianca leaned forward, and, before Will knew what she was doing, kissed him. It was short, clumsy, and tasted of nothing but alcohol. Will stared wide-eyed, not moving. When Bianca pulled away, she laughed, patting his cheek, then ran off before the other could question.

Nico came stumbling into view, looking pale. He fell into Will's arms with a weak grin.

"I just threw up," the black haired boy stated.

Will sighed. "Oh, joy."

"Jules-Albert's waiting outside for us."

"Probably for the better."

Wrapping an arm around Nico's shoulders, Will helped him up the stairs and out the door. The cool fresh air hit them, immediately helping with their clouded minds. Nico stood a bit straighter and Will felt a little more alert. Within seconds of standing and looking around, a car pulled up with the passenger window rolled down, revealing the French chauffeur.

"Where to, Mr. di Angelo?"

"The apartment."

"Yes, sir?"

"What apartment?" Will asked.

"You'll see," Nico assured, not giving a clear answer. He would've pushed more but the other boy simply entered the car, obviously not going to be giving any other information out.

Will rolled his eyes and followed suit.

***

Nico opened the door to a small apartment. It had a small kitchen, a tiny living room, and a bedroom. There was no wall separating the room, just a thin curtain hiding the bedroom from sight. Though, despite the small living space, the whole place was spotless. Not a speck of dust to be seen.

Nico shut the door behind them, locking the room. Handing on the back of the door was a large gay pride flag, the only bright thing Will had seen upon entering.

"Nice place," Will complemented.

"Thanks," Nico mumbled, throwing his coat onto the tiny couch. He crossed into the kitchen, reaching onto the tips of his toes to reach a bottle on top of the fridge.

More alcohol, Will realized.

"Didn't you just throw up, like, less than an hour ago?" Will reminded, hoping that would stop him.

"So? They didn't have red wine there."

"But... they did," Will said. He remembered seeing it behind the bar.

"Not the good kind," Nico insisted. "But this. This is the good stuff."

Will knew it was pointless to protest, so he let the younger boy do what he wanted.

Nico popped the cork off, filling two wine glasses. He took one for himself and handed the other to Will. The blonde tipped a glass back, ready to take a sip but the other stopped him.

"Happy early birthday," Nico grinned.

"Happy early birthday," Will repeated. They both took a sip.

Silence followed their words. Will was thankful for it since his head hurt a little. Soon, he began to feel a little tired. He figured Nico felt the same when he saw him yawn. Not long after, Nico waved him to following, heading over to the couch, leaving behind his glass.

The black haired boy left Will there, going off to retrieve a blanket and pillow. When he returned, he tossed them onto the couch, leaving again. Will thought he had gone right to bed but he was mistaken. Instead, Nico came back with more bedding and started making a bed on the floor.

"You take the couch," Will insisted. Nico shook his head.

"No. You're the guest."

"Fine," Will mumbled, tugging everything off the couch onto the floor. He settled down beside the other boy. "Then we'll both be sleeping down here."

Nico didn't argue so Will didn't speak. The two laid there on their backs, awake but just barely. It was clear neither of them were going to sleep for at least ten minutes.

A thought popped into Will's head, and, in his drunken state, he said it out loud.

"Nico," he said, making sure the other was listening, "I'm gay."

"No, you're drunk."

"Seriously."

"What makes you think that?" Nico asked, now looking at him. Will looked him in the eyes, or at least where he assumed his eyes were. It was dark in the room.

"You. I'm gay for you."

Nico snorted, rolling over, his back to the blonde. "Night, Will."

"Do you believe me?"

There was a pause, then a reply. "I'd like to. I'd really... really like to."

***

The next morning, Will learned that both the di Angelo's were the same when it came to drinking. Neither one remembered what happened the night before. Meaning that Bianca didn't remember the kiss and that Nico didn't remember Will's attempt of coming out.

The fact that neither one of them remembered was kind of a good thing. Will did tell B what happened between them, as well as what happened with Nico. Sadly, she had no advice to give. Rachel was no help in that department either.

Another unfortunate thing he learned was that he was going to suffer through a hangover all day on Nico's couch.


	39. Chapter 38

Three weeks passed. Bianca had done everything possible to avoid interacting with Will. It was worse than the last time B embarrassed herself, though no one blamed her. They'd probably do the same if they were in her shoes but she'd been avoiding it for so long. She'd have to talk to the blonde eventually and the more she pushed it off, the rougher it was going to be.

Things remained the same for Will and Nico, or so one of them thought. Since Nico didn't remember anything, everything was fine. As for Will, he was trying to regain the courage to confess to the other boy. Part of him thought about taking a shot or two but Nico would deny anything he said at that point, claiming it was his drunk side showing.

Now it was a week before his birthday banquet. Will was hoping that he'd get a burst of confidence as his birthday neared.

At the moment, all the girls were off doing whatever girls do to get ready for big formal events, leaving Will and Nico to do their own thing.

They were casually hanging out in Will's room. Will lied on his back, watching Nico play another round of Mythomagic on his laptop. Nico, for some unknown reason, was playing extremely fair for once. The other assumed this wasn't a good thing.

Will's phone buzzed. He'd gotten a text from his dad about one of the guests arriving in fifteen minutes and wanting the boys to be down there to greet him.

"Pause it," Will told Nico.

"Can't," he responded, not looking away. "One can not simply pause a game."

Will rolled his eyes. "Can you hurry it up."

"Hold your horses, Sunshine."

Will's heart skipped a beat at the nickname. He knew that everyone had a nickname, so it wasn't anything special but it still made him happy to be called that.

"Done," Nico blurted, pulling the other from his dazed thoughts. "Let's go."

"That quick?"

"Yup," the shorter boy answered, popping the 'p'. "It only took three more turns thanks to the cards I had been saving."

Will made two mental notes. One: Never challenge Hazel in Go Fish; Two: Never challenge Nico to a game of Mythomagic.

That only made him wonder what not to challenge Bianca to. Would it also be a card game? She didn't seem like the card game type of person. Video game? Maybe but it still didn't seem like the right answer.

The boys stepped outside in front of the castle, meeting Apollo at the bottom of the steps. After a brief greeting, they fell silent. Luckily, the silence didn't last long thanks to a carriage pulling up.

The first to come out of the vehicle was a girl. Will recognized the hair right away and knew who the guest was.

"Solace," Clarisse grumbled.

"La Rue."

Nico glanced between the two but didn't say anything.

Next to come out was a little boy, probably around Hazel's age. He immediately went to hind behind his sister, refusing to show himself.

The last person came out of the carriage. There was no doubt in Nico's mind that he was the actual guest and the other two were his children.

"General Mars," Apollo greeted with a smile. "It's nice to see you again. It's been too long."

"Indeed it has," Mars agreed. "But we've been over this. It's Ares."

"Of course, of course," the king then turned to the boys. "You already know Will. But this is Nico di Angelo. Will's soon to be brother-in-law."

Will shifted on his feet upon hearing that. Out of the corner of his eye, he could've sworn he'd seen Nico showing signs of uncomfortableness as well. Before he could think on it too long, Ares spoke.

"Nice to meet you, Nico. This is my daughter Clarisse La Rue, and my son, Frank Zang. He's a little on the shy side."

Nico opened his mouth to speak, but Apollo beat them to it, insisting they continue their conversation inside.

The two men led the way with the four children behind them. Clarisse chose to ignore them, putting headphones on. Frank was left in the dust by his sister, leaving him to catch up with her. He had just started running after him when a bunch of cards suddenly fell out of his pocket. Nico walked over to help the little guy. At a glance he hadn't recognized them but as he neared he noticed the familiar logo.

"So you play Mythomagic?" Nico asked as he helped pick up the cards.

"Yeah," Zrank replied quietly.

"So do I."

"Really?

Nico looked up to see the boy's eyes shining and couldn't help but laugh a little. "Really."

"Can you play with me later?"

"Definitely."

Frank finally gathered up all his cards, bounding forward with a bright smile on his face. He caught up with his sister, grabbing one of her hands to hold. Clarisse held back. Will blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing this right.

For the most part, the adults ignored the four. At some point, Clarisse shooed her brother off, leaving Ares at Frank's mercy. Not long after, Apollo suggested they go find the girls.

They checked Bianca room first, only to find nothing. Hazel's room was the same. So they went out and checked Rachel's art shed. Still nothing.

Nico called his sister and discovered that they were in Rachel's study for some reason. This wasn't a problem with that, it's just that it was on the other side of the castle and they'd already walked so much.

Clarisse followed her eyes. "Can someone just show me where the training area is?"

Nico offered to since it didn't look like her and Will got along well. While they were off doing that. Will took Frank to Rachel's study where the girls were. On the way there, there was silence. Will tried to get Frank to talk to him, but no such luck. The kid really didn't want to talk.

They reached the study. Will let Frank in first before letting himself in and shutting the door. He first saw Rachel and Bianca looking at papers sprawled out over the desk, most likely another assignment from the queen. Naomi had been making Rachel work on them non-stop in hopes that it would click eventually.

"Where's Hazel?"

"Here!" she said loudly from under the desk.

Both boys looked down to see Hazel munching on crackers and watching something on Bianca's phone.

"Hazel, this is Frank. Frank this is Hazel."

"Hi!" Hazel greeted, loud again.

"H-Hi..." Frank stammered, blushing wildly.

"What a cracker?" Hazel held one out for him to take, which it took, quietly thanking her.

Will's phone buzzed. Looking down, he saw that it was Nico. Sadly, the message said that he'd be hanging out with Clarisse in the training area.

Sighing, Will flopped down in a chair and got comfortable.

***

Nico blew Will off again later that night to play Mythomagic with Frank. At first, he was down, but then he saw how happy Frank was and everything was okay again.

All the girls, including Clarisse, band together for a girls night. They made sure to strictly tell the boys that if they interfered, there would be consequences.

Will, without anything else to do, invited Kayla and Austin up to his room. They were off kitchen duty by now so they wouldn't have a problem hanging out with Will for the rest of the night. So the second they were off for the night, they ran up to his room, their arms full of snacks. The sight of his friends rushing to the table to drop everything off made Will wonder the last time they had hung out like this. Far too long, obviously. He was happy they'd be spending time together like they use to.

The first thing Austin did was fire up the Wii for some Mario Kart. Kayla sat back and opened a bag of chips, waiting for the disc to register. Will joined her, taking a few chips for himself.

"Sooooo," Kayla started, swallowing the last of her chip, "what happened when you guys went drinking?"

Will jumped. "How'd you know we went drinking?"

Both Kayla and Austin rolled their eyes.

"It was pretty obvious," Austin replied. "What other reason would you guys be going to a different kingdom? No way you went for the learning experience."

Will sighed and retold the events from that night. He included both the awkward parts with the di Angelo's, partly because he needed advice and partly because the other two had suspected something happened. Sadly they had no advice for the Bianca situation. Nico's on the other hand... well, it was better they said something rather than nothing.

"Will, you know we support you with anything," Austin reminded him.

"Even this," Kayla added.

"Yes, even this. So," the two exchanged looks, "we going to encourage you to confess to Nico again."

"But what if he rejects me?"

Kayla placed a hand on his shoulder. "We both know you really like Nico. He makes you happy. And, form the looks of it, he feels the same way."

"Just try and tell him how you feel," Austin said. "Even if we're wrong and he denies you, you can at least say you tried."

Will sighed, nodding. His friends were right. He had to try at least.

"Should we consult Cecil and Lou Ellen before I make this stupid decision?"

"Okay, first off, it's not stupid. It's love," Kayla corrected. "And we already know what they will say. They'll say no because there's too many risks."

"They aren't wrong," Will mumbled.

"Don't," they both said.

"No backing out," Austin chided. "By midnight of your birthday banquet, you're going to tell him how you feel."

"Why midnight?" the blonde asked.

"I don't know. All fairy tales are like that."

Kayla and Will didn't object. They simply picked up their controllers and began playing the Wii game.

They didn't speak of confessions the rest of the night. They didn't speak of the arranged marriage the rest of the night. All they did was catch up from over the past few weeks like friends do.


	40. Chapter 39

The girls were busy with a last-minute dress fitting. Naomi thought this was an invoice, seeing as the dress should have been 100% done by now. The banquet was three days away.

Most the guest had arrived already and would be staying in their rooms and out of everyone's way. Sadly, that meant that Aries wasn't letting Frank out to play Mythomagic with him. That means that Nico was left with only Will hand out, though that wasn't a bad thing. It was quite the opposite. It was wonderful.

But there was a catch, unfortunately.

Since all the girls were busy and none of the guests were coming out of their rooms, that meant had to help Will with last minute preparations and touch-ups.

The first stop was the kitchens. Apparently, they needed to check again (this was the 5th time according to Will) to make sure everything was on course. It was, just as it had been all the previous times.

Up next was the ballroom. All the tables had to be ready for the food to be set out, flowers from the florist, and for the guest to sit, of course.

Most the tasks were like that. Will had little to fix but by the time they had finished, it had been three and a half hours. The boys decided to rest their feet a little before heading to the dining room for dinner.

Dinner was quiet. Everyone sat around, slumped in their chairs. Even the queen herself looked sluggish, much to everyone's surprise. Will hadn't seen his mother like this often, but when he did, he was concerned.

Apollo joined them halfway through the meal. He too looked exhausted. Not nearly as much as his wife, but just about.

"Let's call it an early night," Apollo said, making sure everyone was on board. Everyone nodded. Then Hazel fell off her chair with a snore.

"Oh, no," Naomi mumbled, rushing to pick her up. Luckily, it wasn't anything too bad or else she would have woken up already.

"I'll take her up to her room, dear," Apollo offered. "You eat with the kids."

The king took the small girl into his arms, pecking his wife on the forehead before heading up to Hazel's room. Naomi turned back to the others. Despite her energy level, she still had a list of things for herself and the others. They all listened to what their tasks were, none really stood out till last one.

"Will and Bianca, you two need to work on your dancing."

Bianca went wide-eyed and started to make up some excuse, Rachel jumping in to save her friend. Will and Nico remained out of it. Naomi rolled her eyes, raising a hand to stop the two from arguing further. They stopped, thankfully.

"I don't know what happened to you two back in the Sky Kingdom, but whatever it was, you two need to make up. Seeing as though I've seen no progress between you two, I'm making more couple therapy."

"But-," B and Will started. They got the hand again.

"Then start speaking to each other more!" she snapped, then realized her actions. "I'm sorry. It's been a long and stressful day," she paused to sigh. "Just... please. I know it's hard, trust me. I understand but for a relationship to work, both of you need to be open to talking about things with one another.

"So, if you could, please makeup by the time the banquet starts? That's all I'm asking. You don't have to kiss if you aren't comfortable with it. We shouldn't have even asked in the first place. It-"

"Mom," Will gently cut her off, "we understand. We'll do our best. As for now, I think you need to relax and get some sleep."

She nodded in agreement, deciding it was best to just head up to bed now. Bianca waited exactly one minute before bolting out of the room and to her room. Will sighed, earning a pitying look from the other two.

"Have you tried to bring the subject up?" Rachel asked, picking at her food.

"She hasn't stuck around long for me to even open my mouth."

"Sorry to hear that," Nico said. "I'm willing to help you out with your dancing situation though. In the morning. Not now cause I feel like I'm about to do what Hazel did a few minutes ago."

Will nodded, not really thinking about the offer. Not at the time anyway.

The next morning is when it really sank in.

***

The next day around noon, the boys met in the ballroom. They were both fully energized and realizing what they had agreed to. And they both wanted to back out, fearing that something would happen.

Neither did though.

Nico had set his phone up to a small bluetooth speaker and started playing some playlist he had made the night before. All slow songs, might he add. To Will, this was everything he had dreamed but with a lot more awkwardness.

At first, they were both too flustered to meet each other's eyes. They kept their gazes glued to the floor, watching their feet. Then, slowly, their uneasiness melted away and turned into something more natural. They were able to step into a waltz without any problem, looking at the others face.

Nico took a moment to look at Will's eyes. Up close, he could see little specks of lighter blues dotted about. Nico wanted to see that more often.

Waking from his daze, Nico glanced down at their feet.

"You're not as bad as you were last time I saw you dance," he stated.

"I've practiced since," Will grinned.

"Really? Nico snorted. "With who?"

"Hazel's quite the dancer," the blonde joked. Nico laughed.

"But really. Who?"

"No one. The last time you saw me, I was very distracted."

"May I ask why?"

Will chewed his bottom lip, thinking of how to approach the situation. There were many ways, but which way was the best?

"You remember when we went drinking a few weeks ago?"

Nico rolled his eyes. "Not really and if I did something embarrassing, I'm not sure if I want to know."

Will shot him a nervous smile. "It wasn't you. It was more me..."

"Okay... you don't have to share if you don't want to."

Part of him was tempted to take up that offer. To stay silent. But he knew if he did that, nothing would happen so he just blurted out.

"I came out to you and you said that I only did it 'cause I was drunk."

Nico stopped their dancing. The music was still playing but sounded far away now, and all he could do was stare at the blonde in front of him.

"I feel like there's more," Nico mumbled, starting to take if hands off Will. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Will gulp.

"You asked how I came to that conclusion..."

"And?"

"And I said it was because of you."

"Will..."

"I know it's stupid," Will said, averting his eyes from Nico. He couldn't stand the shock on his face. "But I do like you. A lot, actually."

"You do realize that we can't be together."

"Why not?" Will pleaded, meeting his eyes again. A pang of worry hit him when he saw Nico was on the brink of tears.

"You're engaged to my sister," the black haired boy reminded him.

"And almost everyone knows that we don't like each other like that."

"We're both part of royal families. It would ruin our reputation."

"Who cares about that?"

"Our parents wouldn't approve."

"Your dad wouldn't approve," Will countered. "I know Persephone supports you 100% and I know my mom and dad would accept us no matter what."

Nico looked conflicted with himself. He kept his distance, making sure he was out of reach from Will, fearing that if he gave into his feelings, there was no going back. The other misinterpreted those actions and step forward to comfort the smaller boy, only to have him lash out.

"Don't come near me," Nico ordered. "Just... stay away from me."

He fled the room with Will calling out after him. No much of Nico's relief, he didn't follow, though part of that made him feel worse.

Nico wandered the halls, staying clear of everyone. He had started crying and didn't need any rumors spreading. Normally, he'd just go to his room, but Will's room was right across the hall. He didn't want to take the risk of running into him.

To his knowledge, the girls were still busy with their dresses. And he forgot his phone back in the ballroom so he had no way to texting either one of them. There was also no point in waiting in their room for them because chances of them going back to their own rooms were slim. They always hung out in one room.

So he went to the Rachel's shed. She usually goes there if she has five or so minutes to herself and isn't being dragged by Bianca. And chances were of Bianca dragging Rachel off today were small. Normally after dress fittings, she went to her room and lounged around the rest of the day.

He quickly arrived at the shed, shutting the door behind him to ensure no one came in unless they were Rachel. The shed, like always, was hot inside, though Nico didn't care today. He sat on the three-legged stool and gazed out the dusty window, bored out of his mind. He thought about doodling on a piece of paper but didn't know if he was allowed to touch anything Rachel had in the room.

His eyes turned to look at the desk. There were a jar of paint brushes, another one with fresh water beside it, and another one full of pencils, and another... How many jars were in here?

He shifted his hand and knocked something onto the ground. Out of panic, Nico grabbed it and hoped it wasn't broke. Only, one he picked it up, it was his phone...

Nico looked at the desk again and found a note he somehow missed.

_Figured you come here after you ran off._

_\- Will_

Nico crumpled up the paper and threw it into the wastebasket. He hated how nice Will could be sometimes.

Suddenly, the door swung opened and Nico jumped. He jumped again when he heard the person at the door scream.

"You scared me," Rachel gasped.

"Sorry," Nico mumbled.

Rachel noticed a slight crack in his voice. She rushed over, sliding her bag to the ground and moving his head into the light. Then she saw the tears. Without hesitation, the redhead wrapped him up in her arms.

"What's wrong?"

Nico let it all out with Rachel listening without interruption.

***

After Will left the phone in Rachel's shed, he went to his room. He knew Nico wouldn't go to his own room till later in the day. That was if he decided he even wanted to be within fifty feet of Will.

Will let out a long sigh as he opened the door. He made sure to lock it once he was inside, then flopped onto his bed, burying himself in the fluffy blanket and pillows. Sadly, they did nothing to comfort his mood and made him feel worse.

He needed a distraction. A nice and pleasant one, preferably.

He quickly got out of his bed, picking up one of his warm sweatshirts and left the room. Heading down the halls, he ran into no one, which didn't come as a surprise. His little sanctuary was in the part of the castle no one really went to anymore.

Will reached the room and let out a breath of relief. Since he'd been so busy lately, he hadn't had time to come here and play piano or guitar or any other instrument for that matter. Seeing for the first time in a few days was enough to lift his mood just a little.

The piano had been left untouched and without any dust on it. That usually meant that someone came in a dusted and swept the room, which was fine by him. As long as his precious instruments were in good condition everything was good.

He slid onto the piano bench and skimmed the keys with his fingertips before pressing down on a few. Soon, he was using both hands and playing a tune without even knowing he was doing so.

The tune changed, then it changed again, and again. Will abruptly stopped when he realized how sad it sounded.

The urge to hit something came to him but he refrained from it.

He sat in silence, clutching onto the bench until his anger passed. He did nothing afterward until a knock brought him back to reality. Will looked up to see Bianca.

"Hey," she greeted quietly.

"Hey," Will replied, gloomy.

"I heard what happened," she said, silently approaching him. "Mind telling me the whole story."

"What's there to tell? I told Nico how I felt and he ran off."

Her hand was now on his shoulder, rubbing it back and forth.

"Will, I know Nico doesn't talk about certain things with you. Has he told you about any insecurities?"

"Not really..." the blonde mumbled. "I know he's still not completely comfortable with his sexuality because of your dad."

"And?"

Will shrugged. "That's the only one I know of."

Bianca sighed, slumping her shoulders. She should have figured as much. After a moment of thinking, she stood back up, pulling Will along with her.

"Come on. We're doing something."

"What?" he asked as he was dragged out the door.

"Something. Anything."

Will didn't see this as a good thing.


	41. Chapter 40

Bianca had dragged Will to the archery range. Her bow from Artemis was already there waiting for her, and, oddly enough, Will's old bow was there too. He hadn't used it in months, but sure enough, it was in the same condition as when he last saw it.

Apollo had given Will this bow on his twelfth birthday. When he had received it, the juniper wood had been glossy and smooth. Now, after years of use, it had lost its shine and been carved into with a knife. Little swirls and music notes covered the weapon, completely giving its own personal look.

Bianca picked them up a quiver of arrows for each of them and plopped them down. She loaded her bow, glancing over at the blonde.

"When was the last time you shot a bow?"

"A while," Will answered. "Why?"

"You need to let off some steam. Don't deny it."

Will didn't. He couldn't. He was truly upset and maybe B was right about letting off some steam.

B shot the first arrow, hitting the bullseye. The second one right next to the last one. Will loosened his shoulders and shot an arrow as well. It somehow hit the center, much to the blonde's surprise. Bianca only grinned.

"Lucky shot," she stated.

Will, wanting to prove her wrong, shot again. It hit the bot dot again.

"You sure?"

"Let's make a bet," Bianca proposed. "If I win, you owe me chocolate from the Sky Kingdom. The fancy kind."

"And if I win, you owe me a pie. A fancy one."

"Challenge accepted."

The archery showdown began.

***

Rachel took Nico inside to the castle and to an old room. It seemed to be an indoor art studio for Rachel messy works. Sheets covered the floor with paint splats all about them. The walls looked to have paint exploded on them with all different colors. Nico was about to ask how she had done it when the redhead dragged a bucket over.

It was full of water balloons.

Without any explanation, Rachel took one and smashed it against the wall. It exploded on the impact, paint flying over the whole room. Nico did the same, channeling every emotion possible into the blow.

"Let it all out," Rachel said, picking up a green balloon. She handed a red one to Nico. "Tell me what you're thinking."

Nico threw a few more paint balloons before forming his sentences.

"Doesn't he have a brain? We can't actually be a thing. We'd get caught. His parents would be mad. The public would probably shame us for our sexuality. We just... we can't..." he paused before chucking another balloon with a scream. "Stupid homophobia!"

Rachel snorted. He was right about that.

"And does he really think he can get out of an arranged marriage. He has to marry my sister. My sister who doesn't even like the idea of being with someone! Oh, and then once they're married he'll be my brother-in-law and then the media will be talking about them all the time, rubbing it in my face that we can't be together."

"So you do want to be with him?"

"Yes!"

Silence. Rachel stared at Nico, and Nico froze. He hadn't admitted it out loud. He hadn't even been able to admit it to himself before but now that he had, it felt so... so real.

Nico felt his body shake but there was nothing he could do to stop the trembling. Rachel quickly held his shoulders, slowly lowering him to sit on the floor. Once he was seating, Rachel started whipping his checks of the tears that had started coming down again.

"Nico, if you want to be with him then be with him."

"The the engagement-"

"No! Don't think about that. Don't think about the press, or your father, or anyone else. Now, tell me: what is it that you want?"

"I want to be with Will."

"Say it again," she demanded.

"I want to be with Will," he stated, bolder.

"Again."

"I want to be with Will."

"Louder."

"I want to be with Will," he repeated, louder than before.

"Louder!"

"I want to be with Will!" Nico shouted.

"That's the spirit!"

Nico grinned, even laughed a little but still cried. Rachel smiled, pulling him into a hug. The black haired boy buried his head into the other's shoulder, feeling a familiar sense of comfort.To Nico, Rachel was like another big sis to him. Then, after a few minutes, Nico pulled away, rubbing his nose and eyes. The redhead smiled at him, brushing his hair off his forehead.

"Nico, I do want you to tell Will about how you feel," Rachel told him. He opened his mouth to object but was stopped. "I don't mean now or anytime soon. I can tell you just now excepting your own feelings for him, right?"

Nico looked down, nodding.

"So whenever you feel ready to let him know, you tell him. Don't worry about how he or anyone else reacts, just focus on letting him hear you."

"But what if I don't tell him?" Nico sniffled. Rachel only smiled.

"You'll tell him. I know you will."

***

At the end of Will and Bianca's bet, they tied. B was devastated about not winning her candies. Apparently, she needed to lay off the sweets for her dresses, though Will didn't see why. It never looked like she gained any weight but then again he could still be wrong.

He chose not to say anything about it. Knowing Bianca, she'd spaz out and scream at him for saying anything. Will was about to change the subject when the girl beside him whipped out her phone, shoving it in his face. He took a phone and looked at the screen.

There, he saw a very elegant looking gown. Floor length as many dresses for events are, and a dark red color. It was beautiful, Will thought. Then he realized that it was for the banquet.

"It's nice," he told her, handing the phone back. She took it, looking through her photos for another picture before handing it back.

"Hazel wanted me to show you her dress too."

In this picture, Hazel was wearing her dress, smiling brightly. It was dark green and had a poofy skirt with glitter detailing it. It was very Hazel like indeed.

"Rachel played her in a game of Go Fish-"

"Oh no."

"- and now Rachel has to wear a matching dress."

"Rachel? In a glittery, poofy princess dress?" Will laughed. "Not our Rachel."

Bianca laughed along, shaking her head. "You'll see."

The two put their bows away in a hidden spot. They didn't want anyone, even the castle's staff, to touch their weapons. Once they were stored away safely, they wandered off through the halls. For a while, neither of them spoke. Then, Will brought a topic up, one that he already knew Bianca didn't like.

"I'm assuming we're just dancing on my birthday...?"

What he was expecting was Bianca to get nervous again or to start throwing out insults. Something that would push him away for a few days, if not weeks.

What he wasn't expecting was her real reaction.

"I mean, what's the harm in k-kissing in public?"

If Will had been eating anything, he would have choked. Died right there on the floor. Never in his life would he have seen that coming.

Looking over at the oldest di Angelo, he noticed how her eyes were focused on everything but Will and his general direction. Her whole face was also bright red and she had gone completely silent.

"What?" Will breathed out.

"Don't make me repeat myself. You heard me right."

Will shook his head, trying to figure out if this was some weird dream. First, he confessed to Nico, next, Bianca suggesting this. No. This had to be a dream.

"I mean, only if you're okay with it. I won't pressure you."

"Well, a-are you okay with it? I know you and... you just... yeah."

Will sighed, wishing she hadn't brought it up. Out the corner of his eyes, he saw B sift and it was clear she knew her mistake.

"It's fine. Just, try not to bring it up."

"Will--"

Will ignored her. "If it feels like one of those moments, then we go for it. Okay? If you need me, I'll be in my room."

"Will, I'm sorry!"

The blonde ignored her, hoping he could make it to his room without bumping into anyone else. All he needed right now was to be alone to think for a few hours.


	42. Chapter 41

The next day was hell for the boys. They knew each other's schedules like the back of their hand, luckily, so it should have been easy to avoid each other, but they somehow always bumped into each other.

The next morning, Nico thought it would be a good idea to wake up before everyone and have breakfast by himself. Will had the same idea.

They locked eyes in the kitchens. Nico quickly grabbed a plate of food, ducking his head to hide his face. Will just so happened to see something on the floor and focused on the tiles beneath his seat.

The next encounter they had was later that afternoon. Nico was heading to Rachel's study to help her with something and Will was on his way back from his dad's office. Upon spotting each other, they gaze was locked onto their shoes and the sped past each other. No words passed between them as they did.

A few hours passed by. Nico had skipped dinner to avoid the tension. Will did the same. At the table were the girls and Apollo, silently eating their meal. Or, it was silent till the parents start to bring up something they had noticed that day.

"Bianca," Naomi said, earning the young woman's attention. "Seem like you had Will have made up."

"We have," she answered, believe that was the end of that. She was mistaken though.

"How'd that go, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well. We talked it over yesterday."

Naomi and Apollo shared a glance. Rachel caught that look and averted eyes. She knew that if she had been caught, she too would have been interrogated.

"Did something happen with the boys?" Apollo bluntly asked.

Bianca's head shot up and she blinked. Unexpected, she thought, cursing herself for responding like that. Now it was obvious that something had happened.

"Do you know what it was?" Apollo pressed.

"I-I-I- Not my place to tell!"

She didn't hesitate before she jumped out of her seat and took off. Everyone watched her, then, at the same time, the king and queen snapped their heads in Rachel's direction. The redhead ducked her head down and continued to eat.

Hazel, who had been sitting there silently the whole time, looked down deep in thought. "What's wrong with everyone today?"

Naomi smiled kindly at her, reaching over and brushing hair out of her face.

"Do you know why the boys are acting weird, dear?"

"The boys are always weird," Hazel grinned. "They're boys."

***

Will's 17th birthday finally came. Most people would wake up happy as could be but not Will. He was still upset over Nico's reaction.

The whole day dragged on and on. People were around him all day, fixing his hair and making his suit stayed in perfect condition while preparing for the day's events. Sadly, the banquet didn't start till six and he was forced to stay in his dressy outfit from four till whenever everything ended.

By the time the banquet had started, Will was starving. And even worse was that dinner wouldn't be served for another hour so he had to sneak snacks from the snack table. Sadly, they weren't very filling.

Twenty minutes into the party, the blonde found Bianca. Not too far away from her was Rachel and Hazel. He approached his fiance (a word that still didn't taste right on his tongue) and stood beside her.

"You look nice tonight," Will complimented.

"As do you," she greeted. "Though I'd rather not be here."

"I think we're all thinking that."

"I'm hungry, I'm wearing heels, and I have three pounds of makeup on, if not more."

Will sighed, relating to that statement. The first part, anyway. "Just hold in there for the food. Another... Thirty-five minutes and we can eat."

Now it was Bianca's turn to sigh. "It's going to be a long night."

Will agreed, offering his arm to Bianca. She took it but only because she had to. The two slowly made their way through the crowd, greeting all the guest and press. It was tiring and boring as always but they pushed through and what were they rewarded with? Dinner being delayed by twenty minutes.

The royal family and others of that status sat waiting patiently for the food to be served. All except two.

Hazel and Frank were the only kids there under thirteen, and they were complaining the whole time that they were hungry. Nico, who made sure he and Hazel were a good distance from Will, had snuck her little finger sandwiches from the snack table but that did very little for her appetite. Never had he seen a six-year-old devour twelve mini sandwiches in two minutes.

Finally, the food was served. Large plates with a bowl of soup were set out in front of everyone. Nico caught a whiff of the soup and recognized right away. Never in his life had he thought he needed some gnocchi soup more than now. Surrounding the bowl were slices of fresh bread, still steaming from the oven.

Hazel dug in without even knowing what it was. Nico hurried and placed a napkin on her lap.

Will sat the end of the table between his mother and Bianca. Normally, he wouldn't be on that side, but that's how it had happened. Apollo sat beside his wife with Rachel on the other side, nervous as ever. Not only was this the redhead's first event as High Duchess in training be she was also sitting right next to the king who she still wasn't completely comfortable around.

Then his gaze drifted over to Nico and Hazel at the other end of the table. Nico had taken Hazel's spoon away to stop her from eating while he fixed the napkin over her dress. Once that had been done, the little girl took her spoon back and try again. He saw Nico let out a sigh and imagined hearing it already.

Nico looked up after that, meeting eyes with Will. Both looked away, unable to not think about the other day.

Bianca noticed the glance they had shared and gently patted Will's shoulder. He looked over with a smile before returning to his meal. B frowned, knowing that Will wasn't the only upset.

Soups and bread were taken away once most were finished and the second course was laid out in place of the bowls. Nico hadn't been given the chance to finish his soup, which made him slightly upset. Very rarely did he get to eat gnocchi soup.

Now they were eating a fancy sauteed chicken with a lot of green vegetables on the side. Hazel refused all the greens but was bribed by her brother to eat them anyway. Nico scarfed all the food down, determined to eat it all before someone whisked his plate away like his soup.

Another meal came out which Nico still insisted on eating even though it was going hard to breathe from the amount of food he was eating.

It wasn't till desert was delivered did someone try to stop him. Bianca had come up behind him, talking him out of eating anymore.

"Nico, you're going to be sick."

"Am not," he breathed out. Even Hazel was beginning to become concerned. Her brother was struggling to take little breaths.

"You are. I watched you inhale that last two courses. You won't be eating the desert."

"But-"

"No. No dessert. Understand?"

Nico would've argued more but he didn't have the energy. So when the desert, which was pie, came around, he slid his food to Hazel who took it with shining eyes.

Not long after, all the dining was done and the dance floor opened. Couples of all ages went dancing, while those without a partner took the chance to talk and stretch their legs. Hazel took off right away, dragging Nico over to dance with her. Clarise appeared with a shy Frank within minutes, though Clarise didn't join in on their fun.

"I don't dance," she stated.

"You do when Chris is around," Frank said quietly. Nico thought he had been joking at first, but the blush on his sister's face said it all.

Nico laughed.

Clarise punched his arm, which did nothing to stop his joy.

"Shut it, di Angelo."

When he didn't, she started to walk off, leaving her brother behind with Nico. Frank didn't love to go after her. Sighing, the black haired boy accepted that he had babysitting duty all night.

Rachel and Bianca were heading their way. Hazel noticed and started running over to them, despite her brother's protest.

Bianca kelt down, ready to embrace her sister in a hug since they hadn't seen each other all day, but the little girl ran straight past her and went to Rachel. The redhead had been talking to someone and yelped with Hazel rammed up against her.

"I've been replaced," B mumbled under her breath.

Nico, who came up behind her, let out a breathless chuckle. He went to stand beside her, Frank right beside him. The three stood and waited for Rachel to come back with Hazel. Once they did, Bianca offered to take the two and give Nico a break.

Rachel wasted no time asking why he tried eating literally every last crumb of dinner.

"You know you don't have to eat all of it, right?" she reminded him.

Nico rolled his eyes and explained himself. "Rachel, have you ever lived by yourself? Like had to cook and clean for yourself?"

"No," she answered. "Though I'd like to."

"Well, I do. Not recently, but I'll be going back to that lifestyle after B gets married. After that, I have to go back to making my own meals, which taste terrible compared to this. So, I'll savor every little bit of food I can get my hands on."

"Okay."

"And," Nico continued, surprising Rachel a little, "do you know what happens to the food that doesn't get eaten?"

"They throw it out?" she hoped that was right.

"Exactly. That's a lot of food that someone else could be eating. Half the dishes we ate tonight weren't even touched by a majority of the guest, but they're still going in the garbage. To me, that's just selfish."

Rachel, not know what to say to that, thought about for a moment. Slowly, she nodded, understanding him. Then, suddenly, she jumped and reached down into the pocket of her dress and pulled out her phone. Nico looked puzzled, wondering why the dress has pockets in the first place and why she seemed in a rush. Before he could ask, she had run off, tapping away at her phone.

Sighing, Nico joined his sisters and Frank on the dance floor where they were. At the moment, the music playing was upbeat and fast pace but Nico knew that would only last a few more minutes. Soon, softer songs would play and eventually evolve into slow songs.

The most depressing part of the evenings, in Nico's opinion. On the bright side, he'd get to leave early to tuck Hazel in.

Someone grabbed him from around the waist, causing the boy to let out a very unmanly shriek. Nico turned to see Jason behind him, grinning, holding back a laugh. He stopped trying when he saw his cousin's face. After releasing the boy, he was repeatedly hit on the arm, though it didn't really cause any harm.

Piper and Thalia went to greet Binaca but were rudely interrupted by a boy just barely taller than Nico and looked to be the same age as his cousins. The boy turned and grinned at Nico and that's when he realized who it was.

Leo Valdez.

"'Sup, Death Boy?" Leo teased.

"Told you not to call me that."

"Aww, is little princey embarrassed?"

It was times like these that Nico wished he had his sword on him. Sadly, Apollo and Naomi insisted that there was enough security tonight.

Jason and Piper went off to dance, leaving Leo and Thalia with the others. Rachel joined them again, introducing herself to Leo. A conversation started up between the two, Bianca occasionally adding her option in on whatever they were discussing. Nico stood there as well, though his attention was on Hazel and Frank a few feet away.

Bianca and Thalia ran off when their favorite song came on and the two younger children ran over to whisk the redhead away. Nico groaned internally, knowing he'd be stuck with Leo for a while.

Leo started rambling on, unaware that Nico had started blocking him out. The only thing that pulled him back to reality was when Leo suddenly stopped talking. Nico looked to see he was staring at someone.

"Wow... who's that?" the Latino boy whispered. Looking closer, Nico realized who is was.

"That's Calypso. She helped out with getting Octavian."

"Woah..."

Nico held back a grin, nudging the other boy. Leo looked back at him, shocked.

"Go ask her to dance."

"What?" Leo exclaimed. "No. She's way out of my league."

Nico only shook his head. "You never have trouble flirting with other girls who are out of your league, but you do with this one? Go on. Give it a shot."

After a moment of hesitation, Leo took off, fidgeting with his sleeves. Nico watched from where he stood. When Leo asked, Nico could've sworn he saw the girl blush but she shook her head no and said something. Leo smiled nervously, relaxing a little and started up a conversation.

Nico smiled. At least someone was happy.

Instead of standing there till someone came back, he decided it was time for some refreshments. All the seventh who had been walking around with trays only had alcohol and he wasn't allowed to drink in this kingdom, sadly, though it was probably for the best. He found one of the many tables that contained tiny snacks and little cups of water, gulping down three cups. Then, someone appeared beside him.

"Nice seeing you here," they greeted, reaching for their own cup. Nico grinned.

"Long time, no see, Reyna."

"Likewise."

Leaning against the table, Nico got comfortable. "How's it been with you?"

"As well as they can be. You? Any progress with your dad? Or your love life?"

Nico shook his head, looking away. If only she knew...

"I'd rather not talk about it. No offense."

"None taken."

The two sipped on their drinks and ate a few of the snacks. The music continued to change, finally setting into the slow songs. Reyna suddenly straightened, looking at Nico. Nico, who had zoned out for a minute, realized it one on of Reyna's favorite songs and that she was waiting for the offer to dance.

"Reyna, would you like to dance in the most platonic way as possible?" Nico joked. Reyna laughed and took his outstretched hand.

"I'd love to."

***

Apollo and Will had been going around doing whatever father and son did at these things when the music genre changed. Will noticed immediately, as well as the look his father had sent him. Will made the mistake of making direct eye contact, not that it would've helped if he hadn't.

"Why don't you go find Bianca?" Apollo 'suggested'. Will sighed and agreed to his dad's request. It took a few minutes to find her, but he did and asked her to dance. Luckily, when he did find her, they had to wait for the song to end and next one to begin.

When it did, Bianca took Will's hand and he led them to the dance floor. People cleared the way for them, putting a little pressure on them.

"I hope this is a short song," Bianca mumbled. Will let out a sigh which gave her the answer. "It's not, is it?"

"Nope."

Now it was her time to sigh. "Great. Just great."

"Let's just act like we want to be here, kay? Then, in five minutes we can go back to avoiding each other."

"Sounds like a plan," she smiled.

"There you go," Will smiled as well.

They continued to dance, neither of them speaking. It wasn't as bad as they thought it was going to be once they focused more on the music rather than their movements or the people watching them. All was good.

Until Will looked over Bianca's shoulder and saw Nico dancing with a girl he didn't know.

Jealousy hit him, though he knew it shouldn't have. Nico was gay, so wasn't hitting on the girl, obviously, but still. He was jealous someone but him got to dance with that handsome boy.

Nico happened to glance over at Will and their gazes locked. Will was the first to look away and back to his dance partner. Bianca, who sensed the blondes tension, sent him a look of concern.

"I'm fine," he assured. Then he realized the song was almost over. Less than thirty seconds, probably. And he got a crazy idea.

"Bianca, can I kiss you?"

Bianca blinked and stumbled a little. "What?"

"Yes or no? Just like a three-second one."

"I-I guess," she stammered. "Yeah. Why?"

Will looked back at Nico, who was still watching him. Good, Will thought.

The song came to an end and everyone around them clapped. Most the couples pulled away, either to find a new partner or to give each other a little space. Will, on the other hand, leaned closer and brushed his lips against Bianca's then pulled away quickly.

The applause got louder and camera's flashed, catching both their reactions. Binaca hid her burning red face before excusing herself with a shy or maybe embarrassed, smile. Will barely noticed it though. He was trying to find Nico in the crowd.

He found Nico near to doors leading outside. He and his dance partner looked to be in an argument, though it clearly happening quietly. The black haired boy threw his hands in the air as the girl swung her arms out in the direction of the dance floor. Nico looked over, catching Will's eyes again.

He then turned and stormed out of the room, ignoring the girls calls to come back. Will knew he had to chase after him.

Will moved in the direction of the garden where Nico had run, but the moment he took a step, he was swarmed by reporters and other people. Despite his best attempts, he couldn't get out. Then, like magic, Rachel pushed herself to the center of the group and attention was then focused on her.

Will made a mental note to thank her later. Once he was out of the crowd, he took off hoping to find Nico as soon as possible.

***

Thalia rushed to Bianca's side, grabbing her arm and leading her out the room. She and the other girls all decided that if this did happen, they'd flee the room and to their 'safe zone' as they called it.

Once Thalia and Bianca were successfully out of the room, the older girl to look for Rachel. The redhead seemed to have other plans though.

The two reached their safe zone and Bianca grabbed the secretly hidden bottle of mouthwash she put in the fake plant earlier that day. Thalia laughed, watching her rinse out her mouth three times and spit it out in a nearby wastebasket.

"That bad?" Thalia teased, only to receive a glare.

"Have you ever kissed anyone? Cause I can tell you it's gross."

Rachel rounded the corner and stopped to catch her breath. Once her breathing returned to a normal pace, she took a seat on the floor shaking her head.

"That is the last time I help Will get away from reporters," she vowed.

***

Will ran around the gardens in a desperate attempt to find Nico. Along the way, the blonde ran into many of his guests, all of them confused as to why the prince was sprinting through the gardens. He ignored their looks and comments and kept running.

The art shed was empty, which wasn't a complete surprise. There was a social event going on.

The next place he checked was the oak tree he and Nico gotten into a fight at. It was in the very back, so chances of the guests being there were slim. Like, extremely slim. Meaning that where he was most likely to be.

His predictions were right. There, pacing back and forth in the dim lighting beside the tree, was Nico. He was looking down at the ground as if the ground was listening to his mumbling and would have all the answers. He paused, his back to where Will was, and let out an exasperated sigh right before kicking the tree.

Will decided to make himself known before Nico hurt himself.

Nico whipped his head around when he heard a bush being moved. He jumped when he saw who it was and was torn between running into his arms or screaming his lungs out.

They stared at each other in silence, both too afraid to speak. Will stood there looking at Nico's red face and tear-streaked cheeks, and Nico looked back at Will's paled skin and sad blue eyes. Then Will broke a little bit of the tension.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You should be, you asshole," the black haired boy snapped. Will flinched.

"I shouldn't have kissed Bianca."

"Then why'd you do it?"

Will averted his eyes, now feeling a million times more stupid. "I was jealous."

"You were jealous that I, a very gay boy, was dancing with a very straight girl, who knows about my sexuality and is like a sister to me? Do you hear yourself, Will? You're being stupid."

"I know," the blonde mumbled.

"So what now? You apologize, but what for? At the end of the day, you still have to marry B. We can't be together."

"But we could," Will insisted. "If you would--"

"The engagement--"

"Fuck the engagement!" Will shouted. Nico froze. Not only had Will raised his voice, but a sword. That's not something Will ever did.

Will paused, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Fuck the engagement," he repeated, then met Nico's eyes again. "Bianca and I don't want it. You don't want to. Nobody but our parents want it. More specifically, our dad's but that's beside the point."

He took a few steps forward, removing the gap between them. Nico made no movement other than his eyes following Will's hands. The blonde reached down and took his hand, holding them kindly but also tightly like he would disappear if he let go. He let out another breath and finally made his point.

"Nico, I know you're scared, and I understand that. I am too. Heck, I didn't even realize it till I met you that I was gay, and now look at me. If you could just try to give this-- us, a try, then... I don't know. Maybe something could change and we wouldn't have to worry about going behind everyone's back. Maybe we could be an actual couple and actually be together without the fear of everyone judging us."

Nico didn't say anything afterward. What could he say? Nothing that he said would ever compare to the hope Will had when he said all that.

"Will..." Nico uttered, leaning against him. Then he hugged the blonde, hiding his face. Will held him back, running his hands through his hair on the back of his hand.

"It's okay if you say no. I understand."

"Shut it, Solace," Nico told him, pulling away to look at him, grinning shyly. "I don't think I've met anyone who's ever has a much faith in me as you do."

"Does that mean yes? You'll give it a shot?"

Nico's grin turned into a smile. "What do you think, Sunshine? Would you like to date me?"

"Yes, but I wanted to ask."

"Then go ahead. Ask."

"Nico," Will grinned, "will you be my boyfriend?"

"Yes."

They both laughed, thinking of how stupid they were sounding. They didn't really care about that though. All that mattered to them right now was the joy and being with each other.

Will slowly moved his hands to be intertwined with Nico's, doing his best to hide his checks. It didn't work for either of them when they tried.

Together, they sat down under the oak tree nearby, keeping their hands right where they were. Not much else was spoken the rest of the night but they were content. What more could they want at that moment?

Nico's answer: food.

"We should head back to the ballroom," Will reminded. "I need to say goodbye to everyone who came."

"No," Nico said, grabbing his arm and pressing his face to it. The blonde laughed. "Don't go."

"Come on. Thirty minutes and then I'm all yours again."

"But that's thirty minutes too long," the other whined.

Pulling the black haired boy along, they made it back to the room. As they neared, their hands slipped apart, though their blushes were still there. They stepped back into the room without much attention being drawn to them. The two stayed off to the side, watching as fewer and fewer couples danced. Most had stopped due to how tired they were.

"You owe me a dance," Nico told Will, smiling.

"Tomorrow then?" Will suggested.

"It's a date," the other smirked. Will gently shoved him.

"Why'd you have to call it that?"

"Cause that's what it is, Sunshine."

"Okay, Neeks."

Nico became more flustered, if possible. Will noticed immediately.

"Whatever," Nico brushed it off. "I'm dipping out early. See you in the morning?"

"Mind if I see you before I go to bed?"

Nico snorted. "If I'm awake." Will look offended, making Nico laugh. "Sleep before guys," he shrugged.

Will shook his head, watching as the other crossed the room to leave, his grin never falling. Nico turned to look at him before walking off. Even from there, Will could see Nico's rosy cheeks. Will probably have stood there longer, staring at the spot where Nico once stood if he hadn't been interrupted.

"Nice to see you two made up."

Will jumped, finding Rachel at his side. A smirk and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes shone brightly. Will only rolled his eyes, though the grin on face refused to fall.

"You have no idea."


	43. Chapter 42

Will went to Nico’s room right after the party ended, but the other was passed out on his bed. The blonde smiled and kissed his head before leaving to go to his own room, unsure if Nico was okay with the other snuggling up in his bed. Maybe he should’ve asked that earlier but it was too late now.

The next morning, Will was the first up, having only slept a little over six hours. Sleeping proved to be more difficult than he would’ve liked it to be but at least he could see Nico now.

Nico was still out. Everyone but Will was, really. The blonde shook black haired boy’s shoulder, earning a groan. He tried again, this time, getting something in Italian mumbled to him.

“Nico,” Will cooed. “Wake up.”

“What time is it?” the other managed to say.

“A little past seven.”

Nico turned his head to look at him. “What the hell are doing up at this ungodly hour? And why are you trying to wake me up?”

Will blushed. “I-I couldn’t stop thinking about you 'cause… well, you know.”

Now it Nico's turn to blush. He grabbed the blonde’s arm, pulling him down onto the bed with him. He let him get into a comfortable position before snuggling his head against the other’s chest. And they stayed like that, dozing off after some time.

Then Bianca woke up, remembering the kiss she and Will had shared. It was still disgusting to think about and if there was anyone that would listen to her without trying to convince her everything would be okay, it was Nico. So she went to Nico’s room, freezing when she saw her brother and fiance all cuddled up fast asleep. She held a hand to her mouth to stop any and all noises from escape before gently shutting the door.

Then it hit her.

Rachel had said something about Will running off in Nico direction last night? Did this mean they made up? Or even something more?

A grin broke out on her face and she tore off in the direction of Rachel’s room. It was time for all the details.

***

A few hours later, the royal family sat down for a late breakfast. The king and queen, as well as the others, came in their pajamas but they looked the most tired of them all. The party last night was exhausting, just like any other party. Sadly, they didn’t get any break from their duties.

Rachel and Bianca were ready for a nap of course, but their attention was focused on the boys. They acted like they usually did, with nervous side glances and slightly pink cheeks, but Rachel noticed then smiling more than normal. They weren’t obvious smiles, but they were there.

After breakfast, everyone went off to do whatever. Bianca had to occupy Hazel, leaving Rachel to spy on the boys, but she didn’t find anything… different. Did they just makeup and call it good? No, that wasn’t possible. That couldn’t be.

Then the boys when into Will’s room, shutting the door behind them. Sighing in defeat, she went to report back the other girl.

***

The second the boys entered Will’s room, grins broke out on their faces and Will reached for Nico’s hand. Nico didn’t pull away from the physical contact, making things a million times better.

“You still owe me a dance,” Will reminded the other.

“I remember,” Nico smiled. “And I also remember that it’s a date.”

If possible, Will’s grinned wider. He took both of Nico’s hands, kissing both of them then his forehead.

“Then I should probably go get that setup, shouldn’t I?”

Nico shook his head. “Not yet. I want to snuggle.”

Will happily obliged, tugging Nico with him to the bed and under the blanket.

***

“Are you sure you didn’t see anything?” Bianca asked for the third. She had made Rachel repeat what she’d seen five times now, and quite frankly, she was ready to go back to her room and nap. The boys and their possible relationship could wait a few hours.

“Yes,” Rachel restated again. “They acted like normal.”

“No,” Bianca paused, thinking. “There’s gotta be something more. It’s not right.”

The redhead rolled her eyes, heading for the door. “Whatever. I’m going back to sleep. Bye, B.”

Bianca tried calling her back in, but it was useless. She was on her own for awhile. Now, if only she could come up with a plan to expose them…

***

The boys departed from one another to get ready for the day. Nico when to shower and Will got everything he needed for his and Nico’s date.

Will didn’t even know where to start. Obviously, they needed to be sneaky with where they had their date. He would’ve liked to have it outside but that was too open. And having one in the bedroom wasn’t proper. He at least knew that despite never had dated anyone. Then he thought of the music room and knew that was the answer.

The next step was music. He thought of all the romantic music that he could think of, then narrowed down the ones that he and Nico would like and even dance to. Surprisingly, but not too surprising, there were many songs.

He ran down to the music room with all the things he could possibly need for a first date. Snacks and a picnic blanket to sit on where the first things he thought of. Candles came to mind, but in the end, he chose not to. It may have set the mood but seemed a bit much for a first date.

The final part was to find the right outfit. Nothing too much. He didn’t need anyone asking why he was dressed so nicely. Something casual but nice.

In the end, he settled for a pair of dark blue jeans, a solid green shirt and a red flannel with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. For shoes, he went with his normal pair of sneakers, thinking that any other shoes would look like he was putting in a lot of effort.

He left his room, crossing the hall to knock on Nico’s door. Seconds later, the door opened revealing the black haired boy, who was in his normal black attire and a yellow pastel sweater Will recognized.

“When did you take that from my room?” Will asked, not that he minded.

Nico blushed. “You left it in my room a while ago and I never gave it back.”

“Ah. So you stole it?”

“No. I’m ‘borrowing’ it from my boyfriend.”

“I feel like we have different definitions of the word borrow.”

Nico playfully shoved him. “Are you here to tease me or are we going on a date?”

Will took Nico’s hand, checking to make sure no one was around before leading him to the music room. They hadn’t run into anyone, which led Will to believe all the staff was cleaning up from the party last night. Never had he been so relieved to have the staff busy.

Nico settled himself down on the picnic blanket, though it didn’t offer too much padding from the floor but he didn’t complain. Will made sure to shut the door and lock it for an extra measure before seating himself beside Nico, pulling out his phone for his playlist. Once the music started, Will set the phone aside and focused all his attention on the black haired boy.

“So,” Will smiled, “what do people do on dates?”

Nico chuckled. “Talk, kiss, make out,” he half-joked. “Stuff like that.”

“No offense, but I’m not ready to kiss you yet.”

Nico smiled. “Good. Cause I’m not either.”

Will raised an eyebrow, taking Nico’s hand. The other intertwined their fingers, waiting for the question he knew Will was about to ask.

“Then why is it you’ll make out with a guy you just met at a bar?”

“That’s different,” Nico started to explain, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment. “Chances of me seeing the other guy is slim. I’m not going there for a relationship. More of a fling.”

“Am I fling?”

“No. Never. You’re different.”

“How so?”

Nico smiled, sitting up more and leaning toward Will. “Well, for starters, you’re much more attractive and don’t just want the physical part of a relationship. And you’re kind and smart. You can shoot a bow and play piano like it’s no one’s business. Somehow you have the smarts to work as a nurse, which is hot. But above all else, you care about everyone and their feelings. So I’d say this is something I’d like to treasure, rather if we only stay together for a week or until whenever this ends.”

Will was silent for a moment, taking in Nico’s words. Will leaned closer, their noses brushing before Nico moved his head to rest on Will’s shoulder. The blonde sighed in contentment.

“I hope this never ends.”

Nico sighed as well, not speaking. Neither of them wanted to say it out loud so they didn’t. It didn’t need to be said since they both knew. For now, they had each other and that’s all they wanted to focus on. Not the future where they’d have to end their relationship and move on.

For now, they had this.

Suddenly, Nico stood up, pulling Will with him. It took a moment for the blonde to figure out why but it clicked when Nico placed one hand on his shoulder and the other in Will’s.

“I like this song,” Nico stated, bringing the other back to reality completely.

“Noted,” Will grinned, making sure to remember this for later.

Once dance became two, then three, and the four and so one. At some point, they had changed the music from the cheesy romance to the normal stuff Will had on his phone. The waltz and cute couple dances soon turned into fun break out dances and what not. Then they collapsed onto the blanket, trying to catch their breaths, laughing as they did.

Nico asked Will to play something on the piano, so he did. Simple little tones he knew by heart. Nico took over, playing the only song he knew. His attempt at Twinkle Twinkle Little Star wasn’t the best but the black haired boy was proud of himself for remembering it so that was something.

Will continued playing random songs, sometimes with Nico playing easy parts of the song. And it was a very nice date they had, but sadly it had to come to an end. They did have to go to dinner after all.

***

At dinner, the girls were still trying to find subtle signs of something but still came up with nothing. The only thing slightly out of the ordinary was Will wearing a flannel. He normally wore a sweater if he was wearing something that was meant to cover his whole arm.

Apollo and Naomi weren’t able to join them for dinner, which made it easier to ask questions that were a little more straightforward.

“What are you guys doing after dinner?” Bianca asked, shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes in her mouth.

“I was going to call Reyna,” Nico said. “I told her I would call her within the next week since we haven’t talked in awhile.”

“I was going to read,” Will added. “Found a new book to read.”

The girls glanced at each other, nodding as they did so.

“Well, it can wait,” B instead. “Hazel wants us to watch a movie with her?”

Hazel, who had been focused and eating her food, looked up, confused. “I do?”

“Of course you do. Remember? You wanted to watch the Little Mermaid.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“Then it’s settled!” Rachel hurried along. “We’ll watch the Little Mermaid after dinner.”

***

After dinner, that’s just what they did. They all went to Hazel’s room to watch the movie, much to everyone’s protest. Even Hazel didn’t want to watch it. She said she wanted to watch Moana, so they ended up watching that instead.

The girls sat on the couch, Hazel cuddled up between the two older girls. A bowl of popcorn was in Hazel’s lap and blankets were draped over the three of them. The boys though were settled on the ground at a reasonable distance, much to Bianca’s disappointment. Though, throughout the whole movie, she paid close attention to the two.

About halfway through the movie, Will shifted a little to the right, his arm out to support him. His right arm was slightly behind Nico, and, after a moment, Nico happened to move a little and their fingertips touched. Neither of them moved away.

Bianca tapped Rachel’s shoulder, gesturing for her to look as well. After taking a quick peek, Rachel met her eyes again. They were screaming inchoately.

From that point forward, their attention was on the boys and not the movie. Every so often, they could see them glancing at each other or moving just the slightest. Will got a blanket for them to share, claiming he was too lazy to get up for another one for himself. But the blanket was thin and the screen was bright so the shadows of their hands shone through it perfectly.

Bianca and Rachel caught sight of the two linking their hands together. And that’s all they needed to confirm their suspicions. 


	44. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting the new year off right

As the days passed, the girls continued to keep an eye on Will and Nico. Both of them had to admit: they were doing a good job at hiding it. There were only a few times they'd caught something going on between them, but that was only when the boys were 100% sure no one would witness.

Neither of them asked boys if something was going on. All they had said was that they had made up, casually shrugging it off. So this left them with one option.

Hazel.

Hazel was seven. It was easier for her to coax things out of people, and, knowing the boys, they might. And they may not flat out tell Hazel but they might slip up.

So that's what they did. Naomi and Apollo had given Rachel some big assignment to do and thought that Bianca could be of some help. And who better to watch Hazel than her older brother and possible brother-in-law?

That afternoon when the boys were with Hazel, Bianca had given her phone to the little girl. She somewhat knew what her older sister was up to and promised to do as she was asked to do. That is if she got extra dessert.

For the most part, nothing unusual had happened. Or least as far as Hazel could tell. She was a child after all and children don't have the best attention span. Instead, she had filled up half of B's storage with random pictures of herself, her and her brother, and of random things, leaving Bianca to delete them all later.

That was the last time B would ever put the much faith in Hazel.

***

A week after the failed attempt at getting evidence of the boys, Bianca and Will had a public event going on. Only court members and a few media people were allowed there, making it less intense (or more intense depending on who you were) for the young couple.

The event that was going on was an archery contest. Not the most ladylike thing to do, but as long as the engaged couple was bonding no one really cared.

Nico was there on guard duty standing a few feet away from his older sister. There was really no need for him to be there since there was security there for that but he had yet to see Will use a bow. And what better excuse than this?

Every so often when Will leaned over to pick up a new arrow and notch it, he'd make eye contact with Nico. It did last longer than a few seconds but it was something.

Bianca caught them in the act, though they hadn't noticed, and she cursed herself for not having her phone on her to capture the moment. Maybe Rachel could...?

Glancing over, she realized the redhead couldn't. Rachel had to get to know the court more so she was busy covering with lords and ladies and other important political figures. On top of all that, she had to keep an eye on Hazel who was playing with someone dog. A dog which she probably should've not been playing with.

After a silent sigh, she returned to shoot arrows, knowing there was nothing she could do.

***

Will and Bianca had one of their counseling sessions, leaving Nico with nothing to do. Or so he thought.

"Nico!" Rachel screamed, throwing his door open. The black haired boy jumped, nearly falling off his bed.

"What? I did do anything."

Without a word said, she grabbed his arm, dragging him off the bed and out of the room. Nico feared for his life as he tried to recall anything that might have provoked the redhead. Nothing came to mind. Once they reached her office, he got a hint.

The whole desk was covered in papers, most looked to be articles printed out from various news sites. Others seemed to be notes that she had collected in different colored pens. Her laptop sat open and connected to the charger.

"What's... going on here?" Nico finally asked, moving to look over Rachel's shoulder. She looked up, startled like she was unaware of his presence. Quickly, she snapped out of her trance and began to explain.

"Oh, yeah. I never explained," she mumbled. "Apollo says I have to present this huge presentation for the court before I can be appointed dutchess. Officially, that is. And the topic has to something that important and something that I believe in. At first, I was going to do the subject of abuse, since that is a huge problem but then you changed my idea."

"I did?"

"Yes. That night at the banquet when you told me about the importance of food. I've known about homeless people starving and families trying to get by, but... I don't know. I guess it never seemed like a real problem to me because it's never been an issue for me and I never see it. But I'm determined to see it now and fix it. Or at least do my best to fix it."

Nico blinked, shocked. He never thought she'd actually think on his words. Especially to that extent, yet here she was, with all the info she could possibly ever need. So then why was he here...?

"And you brought me here why?" Nico asked.

"You're the one who brought it up to me so I thought you might have some experience with this."

Sadly, she wasn't wrong. Not completely anyway.

"Will this be going into your presentation?"

"Only if you're okay with it."

"Which I'm not," Nico added for clarification. Rachel nodded.

"Understood."

***

Bianca and Will left their counseling session, both tired and thinking it was a waste of time. Bianca was fuming once they had left, undoubtedly disagreeing with everything the lady had said.

"It's so stupid!" she screamed as they walked through the halls. "Yes, we have more of a platonic relationship than a romantic one because we're  _friends_. That's all we want to be."

Both sighed. It was true. There was no denying it.

"Does your dad know you're asexual?" Will asked. B shrugged.

"If if he does, he won't care. He'd still make me get married."

"I'm sorry," Will told her but she just shook her head.

"Don't be. My dad's an idiot."

They fell back into silence till they reached Nico's room. They had decided to go bother him because they had nothing else to do, and Bianca knew Rachel was busy. And when they got to Nico's room, he was nowhere to be seen and his phone was on the bed.

"Hazel?" Will suggested. Bianca nodded and they made their way to the little girl's room. She was there but her brother wasn't. So they chose to play with Hazel instead.

Dinner rolled around and Nico nor Rachel was there. Bianca made the conclusion that they must have been together. Will wondered what they were doing, then remembered vaguely of a project Rachel had been assigned to. Maybe Nico had information she couldn't find.

Later that, when everyone had returned to their rooms, Will had decided he wanted to play some music. So he went to the music room and pulled out his guitar. While tuning it, Nico came in, slumping down on the couch beside Will. Just at a glance, he knew the black haired boy needed some sleep.

"Have fun helping Rachel?" Will asked. Nico responded with a groan. "That bad?" the blonde chuckled.

"You want to hear a story?" Nico asked.

"Sure. Why not?"

Nico sat up sighing. Will down his instrument, focusing all his attention on him. After a moment of silence, Will took his hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Will told him. More silence greeting him, then another sigh.

"I know we've only been dating for, like, a week but it's about my ex."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Little too soon to bring it up but if you're up for it--"

"Go on," Will encouraged. "I don't mind."

"Will--"

"Tell me. I'm ready."

Nico sighed, launching into the story. "My ex, believe it or not, was Annabeth's cousin. His name was Magnus. We only dated for a few months, maybe four. Five at most. He struggled with finding a well-paying job and ended up raising up enough money to move to a different country to join an army that would help him out even after the war, but before all that, he was homeless."

"Oh..." Will was speechless but had one question. "Why didn't he go to Annabeth?"

Nico shrugged, sinking back into the cushions. "He always said it was complicated. Never said anything more than that."

"Does Annabeth know you both dated?"

"I don't think so. If she does, she's never brought it up."

Will sank back as well, still holding the small boy's hand. He chuckled lightly, cracking a joke.

"Small world."

Nico grinned. "Small world," he agreed. "Now play some music, Sunshine."

Will blushed, picking up his guitar again.

He ran his guitar chip over the strings twice, pausing to think of a song. A tune started to play in his head, so that's what he began to strum. Nico, at first, thought that it was just some random thing Will had made up but halfway through he recognized. It was some song Rachel always listened to. But what was it called...

Will would see Nico thinking, trying to figure out the song. To help him out, Will began softly sing it, watching Nico piece together the lyrics with the title.

"It's an Ed Sheeran song, isn't it?" Nico guessed. Will nodded. "Dive?" Will nodded again.

"What took you so long?"

"Don't listen to him often. Rachel listens to him a lot. Says, 'us redhead need to stick together'."

Will snorted. "That's funny."

"No, I'm serious. Go ask her."

The blonde shook his head, beginning to play another song. "I'll take your word for it."

***

After Nico had left Rachel's office, Bianca took his place in helping. The project, she knew, was stressful but didn't know the full extent until she had stepped into the room. Just the atmosphere was enough to strain her out.

At some point, they had decided they needed a break and went down to the kitchens for a snack, or in Rachel's case, dinner. The staff and simply handed them their food before rushing off to complete their tasks so they could go home. They didn't interact with the princess or duchess in training.

"So," Rachel started, swallowing a mouthful of green beans, "have you thought any more on Artemis's offer?"

Bianca blinked. That was unexpected. And to honest, she had nearly forgotten since it seemed impossible.

"No. Why would I?" Bianca asked.

"Because we both know how much you want it."

"But I'm also getting married. I can't take it. Plus, I'm going to have to help Will, ya know, run the kingdom and stuff."

"Have you at least told him about?"

"What's the point? We can't do anything about it."

"Not true," Rachel countered. "Hasn't your couple counselor gotten this into your head? Marriage is a partnership. Together, if you work  _together_ , you can do things your own way. This deal between your parents will be fulfilled. Everything they had put in that contract will be done. You guys can do whatever you want."

"Where are you going with this?" Bianca mumbled. The redhead huffed.

"Where am I going with this? Hasn't it clicked? Talk to Will. Make a plan. After you two are married, you can say you're negotiating or something, but really what you'd be doing is whatever... well, whatever it is Artemis is offering you."

Bianca remained silent, thinking over Rachel's plan. It was full proof but it was something. In the end, Bianca nodded once, then twice.

"Okay," B said. "Okay. I'll talk to Will. But not right now."

Rachel smiled, digging back into her food. And for the moment, neither of the girls worried about their problems or anything else to could've bothered them. Bianca went on and on about video games and bows, and Rachel went on and on about art. And it was nice.


	45. Chapter 44

At end of the month, Persephone came to help Bianca with picking out wedding dresses. Something that B had been trying to avoid, but with the wedding just two months away, she couldn't put it off any longer. Same with bridesmaid dresses, which she, as well as a few others, would be dealing with next week.

With her, she brought photo albums upon Bianca's request. Her plan was to show Will pictures of baby Nico and see his reaction. That is if he was interested and B knew he would be.

But back to the dresses.

Rachel, Hazel, Naomi, and Persephone accompanied Bianca to her dress fitting. Apparently, her step-mother had found a few (dozen) dresses that she thought would fit the bride perfectly. Naomi had also selected quite a handful she thought looked nice, but in the end, it was up to B to pick.

Before the fitting started, Persephone carried on a message from Hades. Since Bianca was to married to the prince of the Sun Kingdom and be living there permanently, Hades was hoping B would go with a more traditional style dress from that kingdom's culture. That meant puffy skirts and sweetheart necklines.

That was a no for Bianca. A big no.

Persephone only brought it up once, and when Bianca shut it down, the other woman accepted it. It was B's big day anyway. She had final say in the end.

On top of finding the bride a dress, they were also looking for a flower girl dress for Hazel. The little girl was ecstatic about finding a dress wearing it for his sister's wedding, though she still didn't get why she was marrying Will. And when the adults weren't paying attention, Hazel asked the girls again why her brother wasn't getting married to Will.

"But they love each other," the little girl instead. "They hold hands all the time."

The other two paused, looking at Hazel. "They hold hands around you?" B asked.

Hazel nodded. "Yeah. They try to hide it, but they're not very good."

Binaca facepalmed and Rachel took over the conversation.

"Hazel, we need you to do us a big favor. Don't tell anyone, especially the adults, about this okay. Only us."

"But--"

"What are you three talking about?" Persephone asked. Before Rachel or Bianca could say anything, Hazel spoke up.

"They're going to play Go Fish with me later. And if I win, Rachel promises to let me use her paints."

"Uh, no I don't."

Before they could start arguing, the adults broke it up and got them to look at more dresses. Naomi and Persephone took Hazel, leaving the other two to find a dress for B. Rachel had to drag the girl along, forcing her to look.

"Have you tried talking to Will?" the redhead asked, skimming the racks.

"No," B huffed, pulling a dress out to look. She put it right back. "How do I even start the conversation? 'Hey, Will. Your aunt wants me to abandon you and any and all priorities I have to the kingdom to work for her. Good? Kay, thanks.'"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Can you take this seriously?"

"I am. And that's why I'm doubting that I'll be able to take up the offer."

"Bianca di Angelo, stop what you're doing and look at me," the redhead demanded. B did as she was told. "Talk to Will. At least let him know. If he tries to talk you into doing it, let that be a sign that you should be taking up this offer. Okay? Try, please."

Sighing the black haired girl nodded. "Okay. I'll try."

"Thank you. Now, let's find a dress."

Bianca groaned, turning back to the racks of pure white gowns. There were a million things she'd rather be doing now if she were honest.

***

"Doesn't the groom have a tux or some sort of suit fitting?" Nico asked Will while the girls were out. They were in Will's room, lounging on the couch. Nico was scrolling through his phone while Will read, their hand intertwined with them.

"Yeah. I have that next week. Same day the girls are going for bridesmaids stuff."

"Ah. Fun. So I'll be alone the whole time?"

"Unless you wanna come and watch me get a suit for a wedding that neither the bride or the groom want to be at," Will joked.

Nico snorted. "I'll pass. Or maybe I'll go with B. Rachel's been forcing us to watch 'Say Yes To The Dress' so maybe I can be of some help to them."

Will gasped. "And leave your boyfriend alone to fend off for himself? How rude."

Nico smirked, turning his head and pecking the blonde's cheek. "I think you'll manage."

Will blushed, setting his book aside to look out the window. It looked nice out. Probably one of the last few nice days there would be till the temperature outside would drop.

"Mind if we go outside?" the blonde asked.

"Not at all," Nico smiled.

***

Hazel ran out the dressing room wearing the 20th gown she had put on that day. Persephone tried to get her to pick the dress she liked the most, but the little girl liked them all equally.

"Yes, but which do you like the most?" the woman asked.

"I like them all the mostest!" Hazel exclaimed, a bright grin on her face.

Both parents sighed, wishing for the youngest person in the room to be more cooperative. While they were trying to get Hazel to pick one dress, Naomi suggested that Rachel go help Bianca put on a dress. The two did, though one wasn't very willing.

In the dressing room, Rachel picked out one of the few gowns that B had okayed. Rachel turned around, allowing the other girl to undress as privately as possible before helping her button up the back of the material.

Looking in the mirror, Bianca felt sick. She knew that she was never meant to wear anything like this, especially for the occasion it was meant for.

"I don't like this," Bianca confessed.

"Well then, let's try on a different one," the redhead suggested, turning back to the rack. She was completely unaware of what the other's comment really implied. "There's bound to be one that you like."

"That's not what I mean," B whispered. Rachel turned, seeing the other about to break down. "I don't want this. Will doesn't want this. Nobody wants this but my stupid, selfish, asshole of a father!"

Rachel placed her hands on Bianca's shoulders, slowly rubbing them up and down. She knew there was nothing she could say that would change any of this, and as far as she knew, nothing she could ever do. But she could do her best to be there for her friend.

"I know it's hard to be forced to do something you want no part in," Rachel related. "But you have to push through. Just for a little while longer, and I can almost,  _almost_  promise you things will turn up. It may not look like it but they will.

"And I know I've told you this already, but talk to Will. He can help you if you give him the chance. Hell, if you two really want a way out of this marriage, I'm pretty sure you guys can come up with a way to sabotage the whole thing."

Bianca laughed, sniffling as she did. "Sabotage, huh? Never thought about that, actually."

"That's why I'm here," the redhead joked, flipping her frizzy hair over her shoulder. They both laughed, whipping away more of B's tears.

"Okay, let's get me out of this dress and see if Hazel's made a decision."

Together, they managed to remove the gown from Bianca's body without any help from one of the dress attendants or damaging the fabric in any way. After leaving the dress on a chair in the dressing room, the girls headed off to find the other three.

As it turns out, Hazel was able to pick a single gown out and was no flipping through a catalog of baskets and other flower girl thing. From the looks of it, she was told to circle the ones she liked with a pen, which was nearly everything. No surprise there.

"Found any you like?" Persephone asked. Bianca only through head back, growing. "I'll take that as a no," she chuckled.

***

Will and Nico headed for the back of the garden. There, they knew they wouldn't be bothered or sighted, meaning they could say or do whatever they wanted without fear of being caught. An ideal place if you're trying to do something sneaky, even if it was just holding hands.

Will was still reading his book, his left hand tangled with Nico's right. The blonde had been so invested in the story he was reading, he jumped when the boy beside him spoke.

"When do you guys start to get snow?"

Will smiled. "We don't. We're too far down south for it."

"Oh," Nico mumbled, suddenly feeling stupid. Will kissed his cheek.

"But we do get it up north. Near the border, though it's still not much compared to other places. Why do you ask?"

Nico shrugged. "It's the beginning of October. The fall season. I'm used to it being chilly by now, but it's not."

"It doesn't get chilly until November, normally."

They fell into a comfortable silence, looking around the garden. Will set his book aside, relaxing more, focusing on everything around him, though Nico seemed to distract him from that.

At first, the black haired boy was oblivious to Will's stare, zoned out. When he came out, he looked right at the other boy, blushing a deep red.

"You're adorable, you know that?"

"Oh, stop it," Nico mumbled, trying to suppress a smile. It didn't work out that way though.

"Why would I? I think it's important to remind you from time to time."

Nico rolled his eyes, grinning. "Your definition from 'time to time' is once an hour," he teased.

"Is it?" the other joined. They both laughed, Nico briefly looking away before meeting his eyes again. Then everything froze for the both of them.

Nico stared into Will's crystal blue eyes, and Will stared back into Nico's deep brown eyes, lost in them. The wind tousled their hair, though they paid no mind to it or anything else for that matter. Only each other. And then they were leaning in, eyes falling shut and lips meeting in the middle.

Will had never had experience kissing a boy, or much experiencing in kissing at all for that matter, but he could say this was the best one ever.

When they pulled away, it felt like forever. And Will realized forever still wouldn't be enough, even if he did have it.

Nico was blushing harder than before and hid his face in Will's chest. Still in a daze, Will wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, nuzzling his nose into Nico's soft black locks. Then, very abruptly, Nico sat back up, pecking Will's lips and held both his hands, the biggest possible smile plastered on both their faces.

"I like kissing you," Will told him, pulling him in for another. Nico pulled away, chuckling.

"Good because I like it too."

And they kissed again.

***

All the girls went their separate ways once they fitting was done. Naomi had to check in with Apollo, and Persephone took Hazel, allowing the two young women some free time. Once Bianca and Rachel were alone, the soon-to-be-bride turned to the redhead.

"I'm going to talk to Will."

Rachel sent her an encouraging smile. "Good luck then. I'm going to paint before dinner."

And that's what Bianca set off to do. She checked Will's room first, finding no one in there. Next was Nico's room and found the same thing. So she went back into Will's room, sending him a text. As soon as she went that text, however, a phone in the room buzzed, and it wasn't her's.

"Why?" she complained to herself. Sighing, she sent a similar text to Nico, requesting for Will to be sent to her. It took a few minutes to get a reply, but it came. Sadly, it took Will longer to get where she was.

"What's up?" Will asked, walking in and shutting the door. He was grinning more than normal and his cheeks were a pink color. B raised an eyebrow.

"You okay?"

If possible, the blonde became more flustered, avoiding eye contact as he tried to explain himself. There was also a lot of stuttering. Bianca had her suspicions but set them aside for now.

"Anyway... on to what I need to talk to you about," Bianca started, moving to make room for Will on the couch. With distance between them, of course. "It's about something your aunt said."

"Was it about the wedding?" Will groaned. "She hates weddings. And marriage. And relationships in general."

Bianca laughed, relating to that statement. "No. It has nothing to do with the wedding-- well, maybe. Let's not talk about the wedding."

"But you just said--"

"A while ago, can't remember when exactly, but your aunt offered me a... a position of sorts for me and Thalia."

"Okay... meaning?"

"Basically, we'd be joining her hunters. Like, permanently. As in, I'd be one of her hunters and not the queen of the kingdom we're supposed to run together."

"Ah," Will said. "I see."

"Yeah..."

There was a brief pause. During that pause, Will typed something on his phone and set it aside. What happened next, it's safe to say Bianca was not ready for that information.

"I kissed Nico today."

"What?" B gasped. Luckily she was drinking anything. Or eating anything. If so, she'd probably be dead by now.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Um... wow."

"And we've been dating since my birthday."

"Fucking called it!" Bianca shouted. Will blushed, looking away. The girl calmed down, seeing the blonde was getting flustered again. "So what now? Clearly, you have the hots for my brother, and I have the position of a lifetime."

"We cancel the wedding," Will said as if it were simple.

"Sadly, I don't think that'll happen. Though Rachel had the idea of sabotage. Will that do?"

"I don't see why not."

***

When Will went to see Bianca, Nico decided to go to Rachel. They hadn't hung out much since he and Will were spending every free moment they had sneaking around. But now that he had the time, why not go see the artsy redhead?

And so he did.

Rachel was in her art shed, sitting on her wooden stool with a paintbrush in hand. When she saw Nico come in, she smiled, setting down the brush.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Nico replied. "How was the wedding dress hunt?"

"Horrible," she mumbled, all joy disappearing. "Hazel wanted to try on every dress that would fit her, and Bianca basically refused to look at any dresses, let alone try any on."

Nico snorted, shaking his head. "Sounds like both of them. Has she picked out a color theme at least? Or what color the bridesmaid dresses will be?"

"Dark green. Good pick, if you ask me."

"Nice. What about flowers?"

"Nope. I think she's just going to go with red roses though. Easy and simple, you know?"

"Makes sense," Nico said.

"All the bridesmaids are going to be here next week," Rachel told him. "To find the dresses. I know Thalia's the maid of honor, and B was thinking about having me and Annabeth as her bridesmaids."

"What about Piper? They get along, don't they."

"Yeah, but she said she still doesn't know her too well."

"Fair enough, I suppose."

"Yep."

Just then, Nico's phone went off. He checked it, then cursed under his breath, typing away before slipping the device back into his pocket. Rachel sent him a curious look, waiting for his to say something.He rolled his eyes, sighing.

"I'm gay," he reminded her.

"I know."

"For Will."

"I also know that."

"And he's gay for me."

"That's obvious," she replied.

"We've been dating since his birthday."

"I suspected. So did Bianca."

"Well, did you know we kissed today?"

"No!" Rachel exclaimed, sitting up straight. "Tell me about it. I want all the details."

Another eye roll came from Nico. "Yeah, no."

"Nico, please. I have to know."

"Look, what a boy and another boy do behind closed doors is none of your business."

"But were you behind closed doors?" Rachel smirked. A blush spread across his face.

"No..." he admitted. "But that's beside the point!"

Rachel teased him some more, but Nico wasn't having it. He left the shed two minutes later, his face redder than a strawberry. Never, and he meant  _never_ , was he going to tell Rachel anything like that again.


	46. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologize (again) for not replying to everyone's comments. I need to get better at that.

Later that night after dinner, Bianca took her brother before he and Will could run off to do whatever male couples do.

Nico wasn't worried. He knew his sister supported him and wouldn't be the slightest bit upset if he was kissing her fiance behind her back.

Bianca dragged Nico up to her room and started up a video game. They didn't say anything about the Hunters or Will. They just played video games like siblings do. And also screaming like siblings do.

"You did _not_ just throw that shell!" Bianca complained.

"But I did," Nico laughed, zooming right past Toad. Bianca growled once she had recovered from the blue shell attack, now three places behind her brother.

"I'll make you pay for that."

"Oh, really."

"Rainbow Road's up next, bitch."

"That's my home turf," Nico grinned.

"Speaking of which, why didn't you tell me about you and Will?"

She didn't need to look away from the screen to know that her brother was blushing. But from the corner of her eye, she did see him sink back further into the cushions of the couch.

"Are you upset that I didn't tell you?"

Bianca sighed, relaxing back as well. She paused the game to focus more in the conversation.

"No," she admitted. "I understand why you didn't. I just... I thought I'd find out from you the moment it happened."

"Sorry."

"It's not your fault. I get why you didn't tell anyway."

"Same with you."

Bianca sighed, falling over on the couch, her head laying on Nico's lap. They stayed like that for a very long time until suddenly sat up. At first, Nico was confused and waited for her to say something, but the look in her eyes told him everything.

Bianca had an idea, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a good one.

***

The next week, Annabeth and Thalia met up Bianca at the bridal shop, both prepared to try on dresses. Nico and Rachel came with, ready for any and all complaints from the girls (mainly B).

Unlike last time, Naomi and Persephone chose not to come. To them, shopping for bridesmaid dresses was more of a friends thing; no mothers allowed kind of thing. Another reason was wedding preparations. There were a few things they decided to do to ease the stress of Will and Bianca.

While browsing the many racks of colorful dresses, Thalia and Bianca had started chasing each other around the place, Nico and Rachel had begun to judge every single gown they found in every single way possible, and Annabeth... well, she was actually looking for what they were all there for. And she ended up finding a nice selection for both her and Thalia.

The two went into the dressing room and put on the dresses. And the cycle seemed to repeat itself on an endless loop. It wasn't till Annabeth put her foot down did they actually pick one.

"What are we doing after this?" Thalia asked. "And, like, the next three days we're here?"

"Well, we have a little...," Bianca paused finding the right word, "intervention tonight. In my room with Will and Nico."

"About what?" Annabeth question.

"You'll find out then," Rachel assured. "It's nothing bad."

And the subject changed to weapons. As for why or how Nico had no idea. He had completely missed the first part of the conversation due to the text he had just gotten from Will. He and Hazel had played Go Fish, and guess who lost?

That right. Will lost. Now he had to wear a dress all day tomorrow and Hazel got to pick the dress.

 _That will be interesting_ , Nico concluded, smirking to himself.

***

Everyone sat on the couch or floor in Bianca's room that night after dinner, bowls of popcorn and other snacks laying on the table. Thalia had already taken some goodies for herself and had her feet kicked up on the coffee table, waiting for someone to start.

Bianca, Rachel, Will and Nico knew what this was for, and even had a few ideas but they needed other people to be on board if this were to work. These two were the perfect ones.

"As you both know, Will and I are in an extremely stupid arranged marriage," Bianca started. "And we both want out of it but since our parents won't break the deal, we need to sabotage the wedding."

Thalia laughed like a Thalia would upon hearing news like that, and Annabeth looked to be thinking the information over in her head. Once it had fully sunk in, they responded.

"I'm in," Thalia stated. "When do we start?"

"Why though?" Annabeth asked. "I mean, I know you two don't agree on how the arrangements going but there has to be more."

"As you know, I'm ace," B reminded her. "And Nico's gay."

"How does that come in?"

"Nico was Will's gay awakening."

If possible, Thalia laughed harder than she had before, as well as congratulating him when she could breathe. As for Annabeth, she seemed shocked but happy and amused. Very amused actually.

"Any ideas?"

"Wait, hold up," Thalia said, stopping the conversation from progressing. She pointed at the boys, gesturing back and forth to them. "Are you two together?"

"Yes," both answered in unison. They immediately looked at one another with a grin. Then, suddenly, Nico jerked his head back over to the two girls.

"Don't tell Percy or Jason. They'll do something weird."

Thalia giggled and Annabeth grinned like a fool, though they both agreed to keep their mouths shut.

And then it was back to brainstorming. The hardest part of the whole thing in some people's opinion.

Thalia suggested the standard 'I object!' approach but due to the seating arrangements, Nico was sat next to Hades who would stop him right away from standing up. But it was still under considerations since it was the only idea they had so far.

Then Annabeth came up with an idea, and thanks to her brilliant brain, it was much better than the first option.

"I read this is a book once. Not sure which book, but that's beside the point. Anyway, the story was of some guy who lost something, but it actually turned out to be stolen and he had to marry the thief to get his stolen item back."

"Wait, it was a guy?" Rachel asked.

"Yes. And he dressed up in a wedding dress and a veil. The whole get-up, really."

"So I would have to put on Bianca's dress?" Nico concluded.

"Yes. Maybe a wig too since she has long hair."

Nico hummed in approval. "I've always wanted to wear a dress."

"I have to wear a dress tomorrow," Will mumbled gloomily.

"No one cares about you Will," B waived off, turning it back to the sabotage idea. "I think we can pull it off. Right guys?"

Both boys nodded.

"So it's settled," Thalia said, setting the now empty bowl on the table. "Nico will be the bride of the wedding and will be married to Will by the end of all this."

Well, when it's put that way, who can't help blushing? Will and Nico, who were now standing side by side, hand in hand, averted their eyes from everyone. All the girls knew they were nervous about the whole ordeal, so they decide to break the tension by suggesting they play a video game. The boys declined and quickly left the room.

Bianca sighed. "Nico's going to be processing this for the next week now."

"Will probably will be too," Rachel commented, flopping onto the couch.

"There's going to be backlash from this," Thalia sated, though that was a given. Annabeth nodded in agreement.

"Hades will be the worst by far," the blonde added. "Are you sure you can't talk to Apollo about this first and see if there's anything he can do?"

B and Rachel shook their heads.

"There's too much to risk," B answered.

"A risk greater than ruining a wedding to unite two royal families?"

There was no answer to that question.

***

Will and Nico went back to Will's room and sat on the couch in silence.

Marriage. Marriage between the two of them. And at such a young age. How will that work out?

"Let's not think about it," Will said, taking Nico's hand in his again.

"How can I not? Marriage... that's a big deal."

Will sighed. "I know."

"And the media-"

Will quieted him with a kiss. The other jumped and kissed back almost instantly. Pulling away, Will looked right into Nico's eyes, reassuring him of everything.

"Everything's going to be fine," Will told him. "We'll have each other and that's all we need."

Nico took a deep breath, moving to cuddle up beside his boyfriend. He believed what Will had said. That everything would be alright as long as they had each other.


	47. Chapter 46

_Two months before the wedding_

Cake tasting wasn't the worst thing in the world. It was one of few parts of the wedding planning Bianca didn't mind going to, nor either one of the boys or Hazel. Though Hazel was too happy that she was cut off after three slices of cake.

"That's no fair," she argued. "You get to eat more cake than me."

"You'll get to eat more cake when you're older," Bianca promised.

That didn't stop the girl from pouting. She went over to his by her brother, giving him the puppy dog eyes. Nico glanced over to make sure B wasn't looking before sliding his slice to her. Hazel grinned, digging into the desert.

And Nico thought he got away with giving his food to his little sister. But he was mistaken.

When they got back from the cake tasting, Hazel threw up all the sweets she had eaten. Bianca helped her clean up and comforted the small girl while Nico ran to find her nanny. When he returned with the nice lady, Bianca glared at her brother.

She knew. Nico's first thought was to run but couldn't move his feet.

About ten minutes later, Hazel was tucked away in her bed with her nanny not too far away. Bianca took her leave, dragging her brother along with her. Once they were far enough away, she began to lecture him, quite loudly, might he add, in Italian. On the bright side, no one knew how much she was swearing right now, but those who passed by knew not to intervene.

Will rounded the corner halfway through with his headphones in. Nico saw him, locking eyes with his boyfriend. Taking a quick look at the two, Will slowly backed off, taking the long way around to wherever he was off to.

At least he was smart enough not to try and stop Bianca.

One month and two weeks before the wedding

Silena Beauregard made dress fittings and alters bearable. She would always make Persephone leave so that she and Bianca could have girl talks or just talks in general. Other times they'd just ignore what they were supposed to be doing to goof off. In today's case, they were doing something forbidden.

Nico came with Bianca to her altering appointment, or whatever it was called so that they could get the dress altered for him instead. After explaining it to Silena, she laughed.

"Wait, wait, wait," she got out after she had calmed down. "You want you brother to wear this at your wedding?"

"More like his wedding since we're setting it up for the boys to marry," Bianca said.

Silena just shook her head, grabbing her needle and thread. "B, you've done a lot of crazy stuff but this is a completely different level."

"Does that mean you're in?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" the other girl grinned. "Hopefully this knocks some sense into King Hades."

Nico huffed. "Doubt it," he mumbled.

Silena handed him the dress, shoving him into the dressing room to put it on. A few minutes later, the black-haired back came stumbling out, holding the clothing to his chest to keep it from slipping. The girls looked him up and down, taking mental notes on the work they had ahead of them.

"He's going to need heels," Bianca said. "I'm a good four inches taller."

"And something to make it look like he has boobs," Silena added.

"Ew," Nico commented. "If I wanted to deal with boobs I'd be straight."

Bianca rolled her eyes, focusing back and other things they'd be needing. A wig, obviously, and a veil to hide his voice.

"He's a bit too pale to pose as you," Silena observed. "A fake tan won't be good enough. Nico, you're going to need to tan some more."

"Ugh," came his reply. Bianca only smirked.

"At least Will will get to see you shirtless."

Nico blushed, turning his head to hide his embarrassment. "Shut up!"

One month before the wedding 

Bianca told Will about Nico's tanning situation so the blonde dragged him outside one day. The blonde felt weird telling Nico to take off his shirt but agreed to as long as the other boy did the same. Will went along with it, knowing that it would be the only way to get Nico to take his off in the first place.

Nico helped Will put sunscreen on and Will helped Nico with tanning lotion. Once they covered in lotions, they went to lay on the blanket they brought out.

"Now what?" Nico asked.

"We wait," Will told him.

"For how long."

"Forty minutes. Then you have to flip over."

"Ugh," the black haired boy complained. "Too long."

"It's not that bad. I'm here, after all."

"I guess it could be worse," he joked.

"Exactly."

The rest of the forty minutes were spent joking and listening to music. When they weren't joking, the music filled the silence but that was fine. More than fine, actually. Everyone had been so busy with last minute preparations for the wedding, no one had time to relax for more than a couple a minutes if that. So they took their chance, soaking in the sun and taking in a moment of no background noises caused by other people.

They flipped over, doing the same thing they had done for a majority of the last forty minutes. When the timer had gone off, Nico hadn't moved. Will looked over, expecting to see an eager Nico, ready to head by inside. Instead, he found a napping Nico, his head resting on both his arms. It pained him to do it, but Will woke him up. After taking a picture of course, but not until he had that picture saved to his phone.

Two weeks before the wedding

Naomi sent Austin to find Will. For Austin, this was normal. It was his job, so naturally, he went o find the prince and deliver him to his mother. What was even better was that he had seen the blonde heading for music room not too long ago so he checked there first.

The door was shut, and Austin will admit that he should have knocked first but he hadn't. He and Will were close and he figured the other was in there playing music. That's what the room was made for, but when he opened the door he found a completely different scene.

Will was in there with Nico and the two were making out on the couch. Like, with tongue and everything.

Austin was too shocked to do anything other than stare for a solid five seconds. Then, he snapped back and slammed the door shut, paused, and knocked it. Someone came sunning to open it and Austin prayed that Will would be the one to open it.

His prayers were answered.

Will's hair was all messed up and pretty obvious that it was someone else's doing. On top of that, he was flustered, though Austin wasn't sure if it was from the making out or being caught. Frankly, he didn't want to know.

"You didn't see anything," Will told him.

"Trust me," Austin swore, "I didn't want to see that. I'm going to go and bleach my eyes now. Your mom wants you, by the way."

"Thanks," the blonde said, heading off in that direction. Austin stopped him.

"Do you know what you look like?"

Will blushed. "No."

"Go fix yourself up first. Please."

Will nodded, ducking his head from view. Just as he rounded the corner, Nico emerged from the room liking very similar to Will. He too ducked his head, making it impossible for Austin to see his face.

Austin turned on his heels, heading the opposite way. If he was lucky, he would be able to erase that scene from his mind. Unfortunately, he doubted he'd be able to.

One week and four days before the wedding

The guest began showing up. Hades was the first of them. Nico wasn't present during his arrival which didn't go unnoticed. Apollo and Naomi picked up on it immediately and became concerned.

"Do you think he's okay?" Naomi wondered, biting her lip. "What if he's sick?"

Apollo sighed. "I've noticed that Nico and Hades don't get along. I've never asked why but there must be a reason."

There was a pause. Naomi's gaze flickered up to her husband's, catching a familiar look in his eyes. She frowned, taking his arm to comfort him. Apollo patted her arm before gently removed it.

"Apollo--"

"Naomi," Apollo said softly, "it's alright. I'll be fine."

"But are--"

"Go find Nico," Apollo pushed, stepping away from her. "See if he's okay."

Before she could protest, Apollo had walked off, ending their conversation before it even started. A sad sigh escaped her lips. If only there was something she could do for her husband, but there was nothing.

She turned on her heels, hoping to find Nico in his room or with Will. The two seemed close, almost attached at the hip if you asked her. Something was up between them-- she knew it, but what was it?

Naomi couldn't find Nico and she had other things to attend to. Like the wedding rehearsal. Which she was late for already.

She got the throne room where the event was being held five minutes late. They hadn't started yet, thanks to Apollo insisting they wait. Everyone they needed was there already, luckily, so they got started right away.

The rehearsal was quick. They went through the ceremony twice, though Will and Bianca still refused to kiss and Hades was getting fed up with it. He was about to blow up when both Persephone and Naomi joined forces to stop it.

Persephone dragged Hades outside for a stroll in the garden, and Naomi whisked the agitated bride away for a talk.

"So I'm assuming the counseling isn't doing much?" Naomi said.

Bianca growled, frustrated with everything she was being forced to do. So she said the only thing she could say to explain herself.

"I don't want to marry Will, or anyone in general because I'm ace. Specifically aromantic, but it's not like that matters to my dad."

Naomi stopped walking. Bianca stopped as well, glaring at the ground.

"Hades is homophobic," Naomi started out loud. She had known for years but everything was beginning to piece together.

"Yes."

"You're ace."

"Yep."

"And I'm guessing Nico's gay."

"Correct."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "And Will's gay too, isn't he?"

Bianca paused before confirming that as well. Naomi let out a stressful sigh, continuing their walk. They made it to her office where she locked the door and took a seat.

Bianca looked nervous, she realized. Then she realized it's because she never said she didn't have a problem with it.

"Are Nico and Will together?" Naomi asked.

"Yes."

She smiled. "Are they happy?"

"Very much, yes."

"And have you all made a plan to ruin the wedding yet?"

Bianca gulped, nodding. "We have."

"Let me in on it. I'm helping."

***

Later that night, when no one else was up and wandering, they held the real rehearsal. The one for the boys. Bianca hadn't told the boys about Naomi. As for why, who knows. Luckily, it went over smoothly for everyone but Will who got a scolding from his mother.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"What? That I was dating Nico when I'm supposed to be marrying his sister?"

"If you had told me that you were into guys I could've called off the wedding. But here we are having Nico dress as the bride."

"I don't mind," Nico insisted, though Naomi ignored him.

"I just want to know why you didn't tell me. I'm your mother."

Will frowned, feeling guilty. He hugged his mom, the two embracing each other for a while.

"You're not going to tell dad, are you?"

She laughed. "Of course not. That's between you and him."

"Will he be mad?"

Naomi, who was now crying tears of joy and happiness, shook her head.

"There is so much you don't know about your father, Will. Just wait will you find out."

"What does that mean?" Will asked.

Naomi only smiled, ruffling her son's hair. "You'll find out soon, hopefully."

One week and two days before the wedding

Nico had been avoiding Hades at all costs. Hades was actively avoiding his son, but if he could avoid it, he would. Sadly, though, today they could not.

They ran into each other five times in the hallway. The first time, Hades and his advisor, Thanatos, had been discussing something when they passed Nico. The boy's gaze dropped to the ground and refused to come up till they had passed.

The second time, Nico was taking a few papers from Naomi's office to Rachel's. He and Hades almost physically ran into each other, but the king was able to slide out of the way before it happened. They quickly apologized to one another, continuing their routes.

The third time they were both with someone. Hades and Apollo were taking a break from business stuff, and Nico was stretching his legs with Rachel. When the pairs crossed paths that time, they waved to the other two but Nico couldn't help making a face once his back was turned to his dad. Rachel laughed at that.

The fourth time, Nico and Will were chilling in the garden. They weren't too close. Ever since they got caught making out, they would remain five feet away from each other just in case. It's a good thing they did too because of Persephone and dragged Hades out to the gardens for the fifth time to look at the flowers. Nico would've heard them coming if he hadn't had his headphone in, but he did so he and Hades had to see each other again.

The final time it happened, Nico just assumed fate was playing with them; that they were bound to run into each other and have a talk just one on one.

Nico was in a sitting room near a window, looking through his Mythomagic cards. He was hoping to make a new deck, a less advanced deck, for when Frank came in the next few days. Last time they played, Nico borrowed one the younger boys decks because all his were too OP against the other. He didn't want to borrow another deck.

In the middle of flipping through his card book, Hades walked in. Nico spared him a glance before look back at his book, hoping his dad wouldn't judge him for playing a kid's game. Luckily, not teasing happened.

"You started playing again," Hades noted.

"Yeah," Nico replied, dryly.

Hades took a seat across from him, making himself comfortable. Nico didn't say anything at first, fighting against looking up. He did though, making direct eye contact with the man.

"Mind playing a round with me?" Hades asked.

"What?"

"Come on. I'm the one who taught you had to play. Don't think I've forgotten."

Nico eyed him suspiciously but grabbed two OP decks. He didn't know which one was better, or if one was better than the other but they were going to play anyway. And knowing how all their games went when Nico was a kid, this would just be another victory for Hades.

Even as a beginner in the game, Hades never let Nico win, and Nico had yet to win a game. His only hope now was that Hades was rusty.

Nico laid out a land card first, placing two skeleton soldiers on them. Hades also set a land card on the table but put down a hellhound instead. Already, Nico knew this was a bad start because it would take at least four skeletons to take down one hellhound.

The game progressed onward. Nico made a quick come back at some point. He had no idea how he pulled it off but he did, taking down three of his enemies and evening the odds a bit. He was also about to obliterate one of his father's land cards so he was now down to five instead of the maximum of six.

"You seem to have gotten better," Hades commented, using a healer on a troop. "Either that or you've rigged your deck."

Nico rolled his eyes. Of course, Hades would never admit he hasn't played in years.

"Or you now suck at the game," Nico said.

Hades chuckled. Like, a real, authentic chuckle. Nico nearly had a heart attack. The only 'amusement' Nico had seen from his dad was the depressing and sarcastic type since he came out. And here he was laughing at something Nico had said like he found it funny.

"I noticed you've gotten a bit of a tan," his father said, looking up to meet his eyes. Nico looked down at his cards, re-reading the descriptions on them.

"What about it?"

Hades shook his head, pausing for a moment. Nico looked up to see him staring out the window like he was remembering something.

"It reminds me of when you were younger. You looked so... lively. Happy, healthy."

"And now I'm just some _fascina_ to you," Nico spat.

"Nico," Hades scolded. "That--"

"I know you think it, might as well say it."

Hades glared, opening his mouth to speak again. Before he could, Nico scooped up his deck. Only his though. He didn't want the cards that his dad had touched.

"I didn't come here to argue with you," Hades told his son.

"No, you came here to watch my sister get married to someone she doesn't love romantically or sexually and never will. It's like you enjoy putting people, especially your kids, in uncomfortable situations."

"Name three, excluding Bianca," Hades demanded. Nico stopped what he was doing, looking his dad right in the eye.

"Me. Disowning me in every way but legally, forcing me to stay with relatives on 'business' for you, and making me work to keep food on the table for myself. I'm only sixteen if you can remember correctly.

"Rachel during Octavian's trail. We're both guilty of that. We both thought that Octavian should be hung for his assassination attempts and Rachel wanted to spare him. We both gave her crap for even saying that.

"And then there's Will who also doesn't like Bianca in any way, other than as a friend. They don't want to marry each other, but it seems too late to call off the wedding you've been preparing for who knows how long. Hope you enjoy watching us all suffer."

Hades was somehow shocked into silence. Nico didn't notice it till he had walked away but when it sunk it, he felt proud of himself. Maybe his dad would understand his words and take them into consideration.

One week before the wedding 

The adults decided to let the kids have a free day today. With only a week till the big day, they thought they needed a break; a day for themselves, so that's what they got.

Bianca and her bridesmaid were in her room, playing video games and whatever else girls did. Hazel was with her nanny while Persephone and Hades were off with Apollo and Naomi doing wedding stuff. As for Will and Nico, they decided to wander around unused hallways.

They didn't want to around anyone but they also didn't want to be sitting around doing nothing, so a walk through some deserted hallways seemed perfect. They could hold hands, kiss and just be themselves without having to worry about running into anyone.

"Ya know," Will smiled, "I learned a new song for the wedding."

"Really?" Nico grinned. "And what song would that be?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

Nico shoved him playfully and Will returned the gesture. They went back and forth, messing around with each other. Nico took off running, giggling as he did. Will took up his boyfriend's challenge, chasing after him.

Will caught him, grabbing him around the waist and twirling him around. They both laughed and Will set the shorter boy down, turning him so they were face to face. Their laughter died down as they stared into each other's eyes, both melting into the other's arms. Soon, their mouths found the other and they shared a sweet kiss. Then another and another and another. And when they finally pulled away, Will opened his mouth to say something but stopped, panic written across his face.

"Will?" Nico asked, worried what had happened.

The grip around Nico's waist loosened and the boy turned to see what was so terrifying. Then he understood.

At the other end of the hall was none other than Hades, staring them down with the most menacing glare Nico had ever seen.

Nico tried to shout a warning, to move, but his body ceased to function. Then Hades made a step toward the two boys and Nico found Will's hand and squeezed it as tightly as he could. The blonde did the same.

"Will, we need to run," Nico managed to whisper out but neither one of them moved. Neither of them could.

Hades reached them, grabbing both of them by the shoulders and began dragging them. Strings of curses in both English and Italian left his mouth. Nico lost grip of Will's hand and that's when the panic began to set in. Nico tried his best not to cry but he couldn't help it. He hadn't felt this amount of panic since he came out. Will did his best to comfort him but it was to no avail thanks to the man dragging them.

They reached Apollo's office, Will realized, and Hades entered without knocking. Apollo and Thanatos were the only two people in there but stopped whatever they were doing when the door slammed open.

Will scrambled over to hold Nico the second Hades let them go, doing his best to calm the other. Thanatos shut the door and locked it, assuring that no one would be coming in and interpreting the argument that was about to go down.

"Hades, what is the meaning of this?" Apollo demanded, gesturing to the boys.

"I found these two in the hallway sucking face," Hades sneered. "I will _not_ stand for this, Apollo. And neither should you."

Apollo glared at the man, raising from his chair.

"And you know that I will so there's no point in trying to convince me otherwise."

"These two can't be dating. Will is to marry my daughter in a week so they need to end whatever it is they have."

"And why should they? Because you don't like it?"

Hades stepped forward, fist raised. Apollo looked ready to fight as well but both were stopped when Thanatos stepped in.

"You two need to handle this like grown adults! Fighting will not solve anything," the advisor said. "So take a minute to calm yourself before this gets out of hand."

"It's already out of hand," Hades commented. "Look at those two."

Hades waved to the boys. Apollo looked over to see Will holding Nico close, doing his absolute best to stop the boy from shaking. It wasn't going too well and he knew it was all thanks to Hades.

"Will," his father said softly and as calmly as possible. "Please take Nico to his room and have Bianca look after him. Once he's calmed down a little, come back here."

"Apollo, this is--"

"Zip it, Hades!" the king spat. "We will discuss this after we both know how to think rationally."

"You are so--"

Will didn't hear the rest. He and Nico were already out of the room. Nico was sobbing uncontrollably and, sadly, there was nothing Will could do about it. He did as his dad told him to do. He took Nico to his room and called Bianca's phone. The older girl was there in less than five minutes, meaning she ran there like her life depended on it.

"I haven't seen him like this in two years," B mumbled when she came in. "What happened?"

"Hades happened," Will told her.

"Of course it did," she grumbled. "You can explain later. Right now, Nico's the main priority."

Will agreed. Nico was in need of loving comfort. Cuddles, hugs, nice forehead kisses... anything and everything along those lines. And all Will could do was hope that it worked.

 


	48. Chapter 47

Will waited until Nico had calmed down completely. It took three hours and a lot of tears, but Nico eventually fell asleep on Will. Bianca was able to help remove Nico from his body and tick him in before Will left to dad's office.

Will knew his dad wouldn't yell at him or blame him for anything but he still felt anxious. Maybe this is what coming out felt like, though Will wasn't sure if he could even call it that. His dad knew already, and so did his mom. Maybe he was just afraid of what his dad would say even though he already knew it wouldn't be so bad.

He paused outside his dad's door. There was no noise coming from the room, or at least none that Will could hear. So, after taking a deep breath, Will knocked on the door and entered once he was okayed.

Apollo was the only one in the room now. His tie was loose around his neck and he looked stressed, which wasn't surprising considering how the day had gone. Will felt similar.

"Lock the door," Apollo told his son. "Take a seat."

The tone he used was one Will had never heard. The blonde didn't dare waste any time do as his father said. Once Will was sitting, a heavy silence hung in the air before Apollo said anything.

"I'm not mad," he clarified. "Do you mind starting from the beginning? When you started having feelings for Nico?"

So Will told the story. At first, he felt nervous and silly even saying half the stuff out loud but one look from his father and Will knew it was okay. As he continued, Will started to smile and blush and Apollo smiled too, seeing how happy his son was just talking about how much he liked Nico. But just as quickly Will had eased into comfortable speaking of his affections, he turned back into the tense kid that had walked in not too long ago.

"I knew it was risky going behind everyone's back," Will confessed, hanging his head in shame. "But I like Nico a lot. Like, a lot and I'm willing to do anything for him."

"You love Nico," Apollo said.

Will nodded. "I... I was going to tell him right before I saw Hades standing there."

They both sighed at the same time, neither of them knowing what to say or do about the whole Hades thing. Then Apollo shifted, and if Will wasn't mistaken, he seemed a bit nervous himself.

Without a word, the king stood and sent the side of the room where he kept his liquor and glasses, grabbing two glasses and a new bottle of scotch. He set both down on the desk, filling them up and sliding one to his son.

"Dad, I'm not--"

"Will, do you really think I don't know what you kids did for your birthday?" Apollo asked. Will ducked his head. "I do keep tabs on you. I just don't ask you about anything unless you bring it up."

Will took the glass, taking the tiniest sip. "Does mom know?"

"No," Apollo laughed. "She'd kill both of us if she knew."

Will cracked a smile at that. Apollo was grateful he was able to ease the mood a little, but he was about to ruin it again so it didn't matter in the end.

"Have you ever wondered why you don't have siblings?"

"No," Will drew out like a question. "I mean, I've always wanted one but I didn't really question it."

Will watched as his dad took a deep breath and a large sip of his drink and set it back down again. Apollo rubbed his knuckles as he thought how to word his thoughts. Will waited.

"Before your mother and I were married," Apollo started, "or even engaged, I was in love with another person. A man."

This was news to Will but he stayed quiet. He listened, watching as his father's lips curled up at the memory of his previous lover.

"His name was Hyacinth. We met when we were eighteen and it was love at first sight, and after dating for four months we decided we wanted to be with each other forever. So, he planned to run away from here. The palace, the duties I had to the throne and the duties he had to the court. We vowed that as long as we lived, we'd only be with each other...," he paused, shaking his head. "We were so young and naive."

"What happened?" Will asked cautiously.

"Hyacinth pulled every string he could to get us safe passage to a different kingdom. A different continent, actually where we could live like any other couple would. And it was full proof, or so we thought. We planned to run away the first day of December and be in our new home by New Years but Hyacinth was... he was killed." Apollo's voice cracked at the end. A few tears fell but he seemed to ignore them and keep the story going. "A soldier by the name of Zephrus was the person who killed him. Apparently, Hyacinth's father did want him running away with me or any other man so he had him killed."

Apollo finished his glass and refilled it, whipping his checks. Will knew there was more to the story but they needed a break before they heard any more.

"I'm sorry, dad. I did--"

Apollo raised his hand to stop him. "Don't. I never told you because I didn't want you knowing, but now... now you need to hear it."

"Why?"

"Because history is repeating itself again," Apollo started. "Not exactly like it was in the beginning, but close enough to it. Back to the story though.

"Hyacinth died and I was the only one at his funeral. No one else had cared about his passing because he was disowned by his father. He gave up anything and everyone he had for running away but he needed a proper burial. So I was there and I paid for it since no one else would.

"After trying to leave this," he gestured around the room, "I was put under tight surveillance to make sure I didn't try to run. I wouldn't have. There was no point and I was so depressed. Hyacinth's death and pressure I had as king were too much. I had royal advisors who handled everything for nearly three years before I took over just a little. And the second I started to get better, marriage proposals started flooding in," both sighed, knowing where this was going.

"I was overwhelmed with the idea of marriage. And I knew that once I was married, I'd need to children and raise them, something I had only pictured to do with Hyacinth so I had no desire of any of the women that were trying to impress me. Naomi, your mother," he let out a breathless chuckle, "she had no desire for it either but her parents put her up to it. I was gravitated towards her because of that."

"So you chose her," Will assumed.

"No. Not at the beginning. There was another girl, actually."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, the other girl only stuck around for two weeks. She didn't like me at all. But your mother had heard the rumors, which were true, and was willing to hear my side of the story. So I told her. She was the first person I had talked to about Hyacinth in years, and she was okay with it.

"I married her, despite disinterest in everything that came with it. I told her that I had to have children for the sake of the kingdom-- she knew that though -- and she knew I wasn't ready. So she waited. And waited and waited even more... she was so patient with me..."

"How long did she wait?" Will finally asked after a long silence.

"Five years," Apollo confessed. Will was surprised. "And throughout those five years, I was distant because, in my mind, I was betraying Hyacinth. I got married, I was to start a family and so everything we tried getting away from. So I avoided your mother at all costs for much longer than I should have.

"I wouldn't sleep in the same bed as her, I wouldn't have meals with her. Sometimes I'd even ditch social gathering early just to get away from her. It's a miracle she stuck around with me treating her like that."

"She understood what you were going through," the blonde insisted.

"Maybe," his dad whispered. "That still doesn't make it right."

"How did you make it up to her?" Will asked just as quietly.

"Well, she was the one to start. By showing me that she was there for me.

"I go to Hyacinth's grave twice a year. His birthday and his death day, and I bring him the flowers he was named after. On the third anniversary of his death, right as I was leaving, you mother asked if she could join me. No one had ever come with me to see him, so I was unsure about it. But the way your mother was looking at me... I knew she was doing her best to be there for me. So she came with.

"It was odd since no ever came. We stopped by the flower shop I always stopped out and walked to the graveyard. And once we got there we just stood there in silence. Normally I'd talk but since Naomi was there so I didn't, but your mother knew I wanted to so she started speaking as if Hyacinth were there... I broke down half way through and she was there to comfort me. I kept babbling on and on about how much I missed him and at the end, she simply told me that Hyacinth would've wanted me to move on and be happy... I had known that already but guess I just needed someone to tell me."

"So she helped you through it?"

"Yes. All the way through it."

Will furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't understand how this relates back to me."

"Will, I wasn't able to be with the one I loved-- granted, he died, but that's beside the point. You should be with the one you love. You should be with Nico."

"Okay, but how?" he asked in frustration.

"I don't know," Apollo huffed. "Hades won't allow it in a million years no matter how much I try to convince him."

"We had a plan," Will told him. "Nico was going to dress up as Bianca for the wedding."

"You call that a plan? Hades is going to be checking up on Bianca before the wedding, walking her down the aisle, talking with her. Do you really think he'd be fooled by a veil?"

Will hung his head. Apollo, realizing how harsh he sounded, sighed.

"I'm sorry, I just... I don't know. I get why you were trying to do everything without any of us adults knowing but that's dangerous. Hades is dangerous."

"Why did you even agree to the arranged marriage in the first place?" Will asked. "If you don't like them, so why put me in one?"

"To ensure the kingdom has an heir."

"You have me," the young man stated.

"Yes, but that's it. We have you and that's it. One! If something happens to you, the kingdom is gone. And I'm sorry that I've put this burden on your shoulders, Will. I really am. I tried to have more kids but I could bring myself to do it."

"What about a trusted family? Couldn't we find a lord or lady that we could crown as a successor or something?"

"That's they we're training Rachel but it's going to be another three years, at least, before she's ready to be received the title of Grand Duchess officially and another year before we can put her in line for the throne. Until then, there's nothing I could do."

Apollo stared at his son and Will realized there was something he needed to piece together. And then it clicked.

"There's a loophole."

"Indeed there is," his father confirmed.

"If Rachel is able to do all that in four years, then I can divorce Bianca and go after Nico. Right? It that what you're saying?"

Apollo nodded. "The agreement was you and Bianca get married once you are of age. We never said how long."

At first, Will was hopeful but that hope was quickly crushed. Hades still wouldn't' stand for it. No way in hell he would. Not as long as Nico was still in line for the throne and considered part of the royal family.

"But that won't work."

"It might," Apollo encouraged.

"But it might not and I'm not taking that risk. To put all my faith in one possible option is a bad idea."

"You did with the wedding thing."

Will glared and Apollo shrugged. It was true.

A sad and defeated silence fell over them. Nothing that either of them thought would work.

"This would be so much easier if Nico was a prince," the king said aloud. "Hades is going to handle it quietly. If he didn't have that kind of power over Nico things would be different. He could make a scene. The media would cover it, people would talk about it meaning Hades would have to acknowledge it at some point."

Lightbulb.

"Nico could object the wedding," Will suggested, suppressing a grin. His hopes were shattered once again when his dad shook his head.

"Hades will make sure no one lets Nico near where the ceremony is being held or at the reception."

"Not if we--"

"It won't work, Will. I'm sorry."

"So what?" Will shouted, suddenly angry. His dad was telling him to go after the one he loved, yet was shot down any idea he had had. "Am I just supposed to give up? Or is Nico supposed to wait four-plus years before we can get together?"

"I don't know, Will. I will try to come up with something."

"Doubt it," Will mumbled.

"I'm on your side," Apollo assured his son.

"Sure you are."

The king sighed, calming himself down before looking back at his son. Will looked just as exhausted as he felt.

"Go see Nico while you can," Apollo told him gently. "You need him and he needs you."

"Okay," Will nodded, standing up. He was silent till he reached the door where he paused, his hand on the doorknob. He could feel his father's eyes on him.

"Will?"

"When did Hyacinth die?" Will blurted without warning. Luckily he wasn't able to see his dad's face and fully regret it.

"December fourth."

"Friday," Will realized. "The day of the wedding."

He pictured his dad nodding confirming his conclusion. "Twenty-seven years on Friday."

Will bit his lip, holding back an apology. He knew his dad wouldn't take it even if he said it. So he simply left the room and once he was out and the door was shut, Will started to cry. He'd been holding back all day but now he could.

***

Nico jumped into Will's arms the second he entered the room. Bianca made herself scarce so the two could have some alone time. Nico held on tightly to Will's shirt, almost like his life depended on it.

"What did your dad have to say?" Nico asked. Will looked down at him, finding the younger boy's eyes were closed, almost like he had seen something frightening.

"He had to tell me that he was gay. Or, bi, I guess."

"What?"

Will laughed at his expression. "Yup."

"When? How? This changes everything. Is he going to help us?"

"He's going to try. All our parents are going to discuss everything tomorrow."

"And?

"And we hope for the best," Will sighed. "Best case scenario, B and I can get a divorce in four years and Rachel takes the throne after I relinquish ownership to the throne."

Nico tensed. "You'd do that? Give up the throne for me?"

"Of course," will smiled, leaning in to kiss his forehead. "I'd do anything for you."

"I thought about giving up my crown a few months ago," Nico whispered. "I figured it wouldn't matter because my dad doesn't let me do anything with my prince title, and once B got married, there'd be no chance of seeing her or Hazel. But then... then I started liking you and you liked me and if I were to give up the crown then I'd never get to see you and now--"

Will stopped him with a kiss. Nico kissed back, loving every moment of it. When Will pulled back, he whipped the tears from Nico's face, smiling at him.

"We'll give it up together," Will grinned. "And then we'll be together."

Nico laughed, kissing his boyfriend again.

"Then I'll wait."

"Are you sure?" Will asked, now worried. "It's going to be a while."

"I'm willing to wait because you're worth every second of it."

It was Will's turn to cry now. Because he knew that Nico loved him without saying the words.

***

Apollo stayed in his office after Will left, pouring himself another glass of scotch. After everything that he and his son had talked about, he didn't feel like dealing with anyone. If he left the room, either Hades would find him and start screaming or one of the wedding planners would ask him countless questions.

Something that he really couldn't be handling right now.

He sat in silence, spinning his chair around to look outside. It was sunny, unlike everything that was happening today. Part of him was tempted to close the curtains just so the light would stop bothering him, but another part told him to keep them open.

He emptied his glass and set it down, rubbing his face. When he looked up again, his eyes landed on the flowers he always had in his office. Blue and purple hyacinths. The blue for sincerity and purple for sorrow.

There was a knock on the door but Apollo ignored it. Whoever it was would hopefully walk away but he was mistaken. He heard the door open and shut without a sound. It was Naomi. It had to be.

"You know," she spoke softly, resting a hand on the back of his chair, "from the way you speak of him, I think red and pink ones would suit him much better."

Apollo mustered a smile, taking his wife's other hand.

"Playful," he translated. That's what pink and red hyacinths symbolized. "He was always energetic and upbeat."

There was a moment of silence. Naomi looked at the desk, finding a nearly empty bottle of alcohol and two empty glasses. One for Apollo and the other one for her son, most likely. She made a note to bring that up later.

"You told him, didn't you?"

Apollo nodded. Naomi's hand slide down to rub his shoulder. That was enough for him to know she had his back.

"I love you," Apollo told her, squeezing her hand.

"I know. I love you too."

And so the two remained there for some time. 


	49. Chapter 48

The next morning, both Will and Nico’s parents met in Apollo’s office. Thanatos accompanied Hades and Persephone in hopes that the two of them could get Hades to act rationally. Chances were, however, extremely slim.

Apollo and Naomi were waiting when the three arrived, both dressed as though this was a negotiation. For them, it was.

“Now that we've had a day to think about this,” Hades started, taking a seat for himself, “I hope that we can come to an agreement.”

“As do I,” Apollo agreed.

“Something needs to be done about the boys. There's no way they can be together. It's socially unacceptable and revolting. I'm sorry my son has done such a thing to Will. He seemed like such a good kid.”

Under the desk, Apollo squeezed his hands together tightly. Naomi, who was sitting beside him, noticed but refrained from saying anything. Now wasn't the time to intervene. At least, not at the moment.

“I disagree,” Apollo countered. “The boys seem very happy together. In love, even. Why separate them? We could alter the arrangement that we have. Say, the boys could marry each other. Then we still get what we wanted.”

Hades glared. “My son will not be marrying any man so long as I'm alive, nor shall I let him be with any man.”

Apollo matched his look, taking a deep breath while thinking his words over. He knew dealing with Hades would be extremely difficult but not this difficult. The other man wasn’t going to budge, not even the slightest.

“So we separate them, let’s say that. Then what? Bianca and Will won’t be happy in their marriage and Nico will be going back to whatever it was before but with a broken heart. No one will gain anything from this other than hurt feelings. Is that what you want?”

“Do you remember why we made this arrangement in the first place, Apollo?” Hades asked, feeling as though he had the upper hand. “We had goals in mind when we signed that agreement two years ago. Will and Bianca would marry to strengthen our alliance and our children would have children together to secure your throne. In return for this, you’d share your doctors and military generals so that my people can get a better education and training.”

“My son’s happiness is the greatest goal I have. I could care less about the others.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I’m willing to cancel the wedding as well as tear up that contract I signed two years ago.”

“That would be a declaration of war,” Hades warned in a dangerous tone. “Is that one of your goals?”

“No, but it can be added.”

Now it time for Naomi to cut in. Persephone had the same thought.

“Boys,” Naomi said in a calming voice, “let’s think this through. Is there really a need for violence?”

“She’s right,” Persephone backed her up, gently taking her husband’s hand. “When has war settled any disagreements? Don’t you agree, Thanatos?”

The advisor had been standing behind Hades and Persephone, silent and observing the whole time. When asked by the queen, he gave his honest opinion.

“War never solves anything.”

“Exactly,” both women said.

“So let’s all take a minute and think this through, alright?” Naomi suggested. “In fact, I’ll have someone bring up tea.”

“That sounds lovely, dear,” Apollo commented. Just from a glance he already looked exhausted.

Naomi left the room and as soon as the door shut, it opened again with Persephone running after her. She looked just as stressed as Naomi felt.

“I tried to get him to listen to me last night,” Persephone told her friend. “He didn’t listen, of course, but I tried the best I could.”

“Thank you, Persephone, but keep in mind none of this is your fault. Hades acts the way Hades always does.”

The woman beside her sighed. “It’s frustrating. I love him but he’s so difficult when it comes to Nico or anything that has to deal with same-sex relationships. He loves Nico, I know he does but he’s just so homophobic it seems to make him forget.”

“How did he get like that?” Naomi wondered out loud.

“I didn’t know he was so hateful till Nico came out,” she confessed. “It was never brought up, and I never thought about it. But what he’s done to Nico… it’s horrible.”

“If you had known he was homophobic, would you have still married him?”

Persephone paused before answering. While she thought over her response, Naomi asked a nearby servant to bring up tea to her husband’s office and to make sure they knocked. The last thing they needed was someone walking in unannounced.

On the way back to Apollo’s office, Persephone began to answer.

“If I had known it was this bad, no. I wouldn't have even considered the idea of marrying him. But now that I’m here, and I see how he treats his own son, I’ll do everything in my power to protect Nico and everything he stands for.”

Naomi nodded, now understanding her better. She opened her mouth to reply but shouting from behind the closed office door stopped her. Both she and Persephone sprinted over, throwing open the door to see what was happening.

Hades and Apollo were in each other’s faces, Apollo holding Hades up by his shirt. Thanatos was right beside both of them, trying to get them to calm back down but they seemed to not hear the advisor.

“Apollo!” Naomi shouted.

Immediately, he dropped Hades and took a step back. Hades smoothed out his shirt, taking a few steps back as well.

“What happened?” Persephone demanded. Thanatos answered before either of the rulers could.

“Hades brought up something from a few years ago and Apollo got offensive.”

“What was this ‘something’?”

Naomi sighed. She had an idea of what it was.

“The rumors of Apollo liking men and his affair with Lord Hyacinth.”

Naomi was furious that Hades was being petty enough to bring it up but Persephone was seething. She marched right up to her husband, the two glaring at each other for a long moment before HAdes dropped his gaze.

“That’s what I thought,” Persephone said, her voice stern. “Now you and Apollo are going to sit and come to a compromise. I don’t care what it is as long as you two don’t end up fighting in some way. Am I understood?”

“Yes,” Hades mumbled, taking a seat in his previous spot.

“Good.”

There was a knock at the door. Naomi went to open it and took the tea tray from the servant's hands. There was no need to let someone in since it would only result in gossip.

Naomi set the tray down and poured a cup of tea for everyone. The five of them sipped it quietly as they began to calm down, but only enough so they could negotiate without any more screaming.

“I won’t break the agreement,” Hades stated, setting his empty cup down. “Nor will I alter it.”

“And I assume you still don’t want the boys near each other?” Apollo said.

“That is correct, but I’m willing to allow them together as long as they are chaperoned by an adult. Until the wedding day, that is.”

“Then what?”

“I don’t think Nico should be at the wedding ceremony. He’ll cause a scene; object the wedding. Something will happen that will stop it from happening.”

“And after the wedding? Will they be able to see each other then?”

“I think it’s best they don’t,” Hades reasoned. “Nico will be helping me with foreign affairs and be busy with other duties I give him. And Will and Bianca will be here doing what they must for their kingdom. I expect they’ll all be too busy to see each other.”

“Is that what you truly think?”

“It is,” Hades confirmed.

Apollo thought it over, trying his best to find any loophole. When he couldn’t find any, he sighed, rubbing his face.

“I suppose this is the deal then.”

“If you don’t have anything to add or change,” Hades agreed.

“Send of the boys then.”

***

All night, Nico held onto Will and still was when they woke up. Neither bothered to change their clothes or shower when they were called down to Apollo’s office. To do either one of those tasks would mean wasting precious time they had together, and neither were willing to give that up.

On the way to the office, Nico gripped Will’s hand like a lifeline.

“It’s going to be okay,” Will tried to convince them both but it seemed to fail miserably. Nico didn’t say anything. He hadn’t said much all morning. It worried Will but he understood the feeling that his boyfriend was showing.

“I’m going to throw up,” Nico whispered as they rounded the corner to the office. Will didn’t hesitate to let go of Nico’s hand and get the nearest wastebasket down the hall. Once it was in Nico’s hands, he heaved his guts until there was nothing left in his stomach, leaving him shaking. With a frown, Will pulled him into a comforting hug, waiting out the trembling out despite Nico’s protest.

They walked the final few steps down the hall, pausing before they knocked. Apollo was the one to answer the door and let them in. The door shut behind them and the tension hit them. It had been there all morning, but now that they were standing in the room, it felt like a weight of the world had been put on their shoulders.

They sat down in the chairs in front of the desk. Nico noticed the tea sitting on the desk and poured himself a cup to get rid of the horrible taste in his mouth. It didn’t do much, unfortunately.

“We’ve come to a decision,” Apollo told them. Both boys glanced at Hades but their gaze went straight back to Apollo. “You’re allowed to see each other for the rest of the week as long as you’re with an adult. The wedding will still be happening, and Nico, I’m sorry, but you won’t be allowed at the wedding.”

“Figures,” he mumbled. He turned to Hades. “Thanks, dad.”

Hades ignored the comment. Nico didn’t like that one bit so he stood up, ready to fully rant.

“Nico, n--” Will attempted to stop him, tugging on his arm but Nico only smacked it away.

“No, you don’t understand,” Nico raised his voice. “I’m sick of being treated like I’m just a disgrace simply because I like guys. So go ahead and take my happiness away from me, you pathetic excuse for a father. Send me back to my tiny, run-down apartment and lie to everyone about my ‘foreign affairs’ or whatever the hell you tell people I’m doing. See if I care.”

“Nico,” Hades sighed, “this is just--”

“Just what?” Nico asked. “A misunderstanding? Like everything else? You want me to stop being gay but it doesn’t work like that. It’s who I am and I’m proud of it. And even if you try to stop me, it won’t work. Stopping my from seeing Will… it won’t change how I feel. So what’s going to happen after the wedding? Hmm? Tell me.”

Hades bit back most of what he wanted to say. “Nico, we'll discuss this later. In private.”

“No. We’re doing it now. Tell me what you’re going to do with me after all of this is said and done. Ignore me? Let me fend for myself? Send me off to one of my uncles for a few months? I bet that--”

Hades slammed his hand down on the desk. Nico shut up the second his father moved, cowering back a little.

“Once this is all said and done, you’ll be coming home.”

“Home?” Nico whispered. “But I’m not allowed home. You said so.”

“Well, congrats. I’m lifting your ban. You get to come home and help me like I always lie about. And I’ll keep you busy enough so you won’t have the chance to go off and date boys, as you continue to insist upon.”

“Hades,” Persephone snapped. “You will not be doing that.”

“I can and I will. He is my son.”

“No. Not after you disowned him in every way but legally. And so long as I’m here, you will not deprive him of love or joy.”

“And how do you plan to stop me.”

Persephone straight up, looking her husband in the eye. “If it comes down to it, I will divorce you and file for custody of both Nico and Hazel.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Oh, but I can and I’ll fight like hell for it.”

“There’s no need to,” Nico told them. Both of their heads snapped in his direction. Nico looked at Will, the blonde giving his hand a squeeze before letting go. “I’m going to give up my claim to the throne. There’s no point in having it if I don’t get to use any of the power it grants or the respect from my own father.”

“If that’s what you want,” Hades said.

“It is.”

“Nico…” Persephone trailed over, embracing him. He could tell she was crying. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Nico told her. They both knew it was the only thing that could be done. Everyone did.

“Then we’ll announce it Wednesday at the wedding rehearsal,” Hades said. Nico couldn’t help but glare. Of course, his dad would want to spread the news as soon as possible.

Apollo glanced between the two. The tension between the two was unbelievably thick, making it hard to gather up the courage to say anything with them trying to kill each other with that stare. Finally, he cleared his throat but was unable to get the father and son to stop looking at each other.

“In addition to this,” Apollo started, looking down to avoid his son’s eyes, “Nico will be moving rooms. It’s to keep you two from sneaking into the others at night.”

“This is stupid,” Will mumbled. “This is so stupid.”

“Tell me about it,” Nico commented, finally turning his eyes way. He looked at Will and took his hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. Neither of them needed to look to know the others were staring at their joined hands.

“Is that all, Dad?” Will asked, looking up from the ground.

“Yes. You two are free to leave. Naomi, do you mind escorting them to their rooms?”

Naomi nodded, standing from her seat. The boys stood with her but Nico said that he was going to see Bianca for a while and that he’d meet Persephone in Hazel’s room later. Will promised he’d be waiting, much to Nico’s comfort.

Before leaving the room, Nico gave Will a long lasting kiss right in front of everyone. Hades shifted on his feet, looking away. Apollo, as happy as he was to see his son happy, looked away as well. Both Persephone and Naomi were torn, wishing they could do something to keep them together, and Thanatos was right along with them.

On the way out the door, Nico lifted one hand with his middle finger out for them to see, then turned around to look his dad right in the eye. Will tried suppressing a grin, which failed and earned him a glare from Hades. It was then the blonde made his retreat.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be at C2E2 tomorrow and possibly Sunday. We'll see. I'll be going as Fiona the Human so if you're going and you'd like to possibly meet me, hit me up.


	50. Chapter 49

By the end of the night, Nico had been moved to the other end of the castle. It took hours but it had been done. He and Will got to spend time together that night under the watchful eye of Persephone, though she did look away to allow the boys some privacy.

The next day, everyone was busy. Bianca had to get a new dress because the one she had originally picked out didn't fit her. Will was put in charge of the ballroom, deciding where things would go and how to arrange the flowers and such. Rachel accompanied him, though Nico couldn't, sadly. Apparently, the redhead was not approved to be one of the chaperones for the boys.

Nico and Will saw each other at dinner that night but they didn't say anything to each other. The adults were watching them, making it a little awkward for either of them speak to one another. Everyone had picked up on it, even Hazel got the hit. Hades didn't seem to, but that wasn't surprising.

With just six more days until the wedding, everyone was stressed. There was still much to be done, none of which anyone wanted to do, the kids especially. So both the queens convinced the kings to give Bianca and Will a little break, taking over their cuties for the day. They agreed and picked out which jobs they'd be taking.

Persephone and Naomi chose the ones outside the castle and forced the boys along, using the excuse that they needed fresh air. At first, they complained but at least they'd be together. Little did they know the real reason.

The four left right after breakfast, taking a car to be discreet. It had taken some convincing, but even if their husbands had said no, they would've taken the car. There was very little the men could do about it.

About ten minutes into their day long journey, Persephone and Naomi explained the reason for the outing.

"We made you two come along so you could get some alone time," Naomi told them.

"But we're with you," Nico pointed out.

"Once we drop you off at the movies we won't," Persephone added.

"What?" both boys gasped. We're they really going to be left alone? Like, for real?

"Look, boys," Naomi took their hands, "you two won't be able to see each other for who knows how long, and you two won't be about to get the time you need together with us adults around. But we have one condition if we let you guys have today, alright?"

"Okay," Will said. Nico nodded in agreement.

"No sex," Persephone told them. Both boys made disgusted sounds and pulled away from the women.

"We're sixteen!"

"And we're mothers making sure our boys aren't having sex at sixteen."

"But if you do, use protection," Naomi added.

"You're so gross, Mom."

Naomi shrugged, leaning back in her seat while Persephone pulled out her wallet and counting out some bills. Once she had counted out enough spending cash, she passed it to the boys, urging them to take it. Naomi handed them the tickets she had bought for the boys the night before, waiting for their reaction.

"Mom, I love you!" Will screamed. Nico leaned over, grinning from ear to ear, politely thanking the women across from them and kissing his boyfriend on the cheek.

"And it's a gay movie," Nico pointed out.

"That it is."

The car pulled to a stop and the chauffeur informed them that they were at their first stop. The boys got out, promising to keep their parents informed of where they were. Once the car had driven around the corner, the boys linked hands and took off running for the movie theater. And strangely, it felt normal.

Just two guys, in love, running around the city without a care in the world for just a day. That's what it felt like despite the moment just starting.

The movie didn't start for another ten minutes so the boys had plenty of time to buy snacks and find their seat. Surprisingly, the theater wasn't too full. The movie that they were going to see had been out for a few weeks but to see the place not even half full... that's something Nico had never seen.

"Ya know, I've never been to the movies," Will whispered during the trailers.

"What?" Nico nearly dropped the bucket of popcorn. "How?"

Will shrugged. "Princey stuff, I'm guess. When did you go to your first movie."

Nico looked back at the screen, mumbling, "Two months after I came out."

Nothing else needed to be said. Will wrapped an arm around Nico's shoulders and kissed his head. Nico relaxed, leaning his head on to the blonde's shoulder.

The theater fell silent and the lights dimmed as the movie started. The two people in front of the boys stopped talking immediately and turned to the screen, as well as the few others there. Then the movie began and by the end, everyone was in tears.

"That was beautiful," Nico said aloud.

"They're so perfect."

"If only our love story was like that," Nico joked. "It would be a lot less complicated."

"In some aspects, yes," Will agreed, grinning at his boyfriend. "Who knows. Maybe one day our story will be a movie."

"Yeah right," the other snorted.

"Think about. Who wouldn't want to watch a forbidden love story about two princes who fall for each other, but one is supposed to marry the other's sister, despite neither of them being into each other. Then you throw in some angst and boom! There's the story."

Nico laughed, shaking his head. "It sounds like something straight out of a cheesy romance book written by a hardcore LGBT member."

Will shrugged, standing with a hand out for Nico. The black haired boy took it, along with their trash to throw out. As they stepped outside, Will leaned to whisper in Nico's ear, saying, "But really. This is our stupidly complicated love story. Why not embrace it?"

"You have a point," Nico agreed, moving to kiss the other.

***

After leaving the theater, the boys decided to go to a coffee shop nearby. It wasn't too busy, which was good. Their faces were easily recognizable so picking a less crowded place was a great option. Plus, it gave them for privacy.

In the corner of the shop was a small couch, a perfect place for the two to sit close to each other. The employees and customers may not like it but they didn't care. They were happy, cuddled up with their coffees and warmth.

Will kissed Nico's head, snuggling his face into the smaller boy's neck. He laughed, running a hand through the other's hair.

"What are you doing?" Nico asked softly, a whisper almost. Will shrugged, securing his arms around Nico's waist.

"Feels nice. Just holding you close."

Nico smiled, setting down his coffee to do the same. They hadn't cuddled in a few days thanks to Hades. They were both so desperate to hold each other, it didn't matter if anyone was watching as long as no one pulled them apart.

"I'm worried," Will confessed.

"About what?"

"About you waiting," the blonde pulled away slightly, looking anyway but Nico's eyes. "You'll have to wait years, and for all I know, you could move on. What if you find someone else in the time we're apart?"

"Will, do you really think I'd move on from this?"

"I mean, the way you talk about previous relationships. And that guy you made out with a few months ago... I'm just scared, I guess."

Nico took a deep breath. He saw Will's point, but the way he felt... it was different than anything he'd ever felt. If he wasn't mistaken, he might even call it love. But that word was terrifying to think, let alone say.

"I won't do that to you. I swear. And I'll prove it."

Before Will could say anything else, Nico was pulling him up and out the coffee shop and to the nearest Target. Nico told Will to wait while he ran in for something, leaving the blonde to wonder what the other was up to. When Nico came out twenty minutes later, he quickly discarded the small back in the nearest trash can before returning to Will's side and showing him what he bought.

There were two ring boxes, and for a second, Will thought Nico was about to propose.

"It's not what you think," Nico assured him when Will turned red. "Trust me. If it was, I would've paid more than twenty-two dollars on a ring for you."

They both laughed to relieve some tension.

"Then what are they?" Will smiled.

"They're promise rings. As long as I wear mine upon my ring finger," Nico slipped his onto his left hand, "I will remain faithful and loyal to you and only you. And when people ask me what I wear this ring for, I will tell them there is a very handsome and kind boy waiting for me and I wait for him as well, however long that may take."

"Nico..." Will started but couldn't finish. What could he say to something as beautiful as that?

Lost for words, WIll brought Nico in for a deep kiss, not wanting to pull away. And when they did, tears were falling from both their eyes and they laughed, wiping each other's away.

"Can I have my ring?" Will asked with a smile. Nico nodded, taking the jewelry out the box and placing it on Will's hand. Or, he tried but it didn't fit.

"Damn it," Nico cursed. "I guessed wrong."

"You could've asked," Will giggled, kissing his forehead.

"Then you would've known what I was doing."

"Can we go back in and exchange it for a bigger size?"

"Yeah."

Nico patted his pocket where the receipt should've been but it wasn't. He turned to the garbage can where he had thrown away the bag. Will would've stopped him if he had noticed in time, but he hadn't. By the time he had, Nico was nearly by the trash can and when Will caught up to him, the other was already rummaging through for it.

"You're washing your hands when we get in," Will told him. "The ring can wait."

So that's what they did before finding the right ring. The lady at the jewelry section thought they were a newly engaged couple, which resulted in a lot of stuttering from the two. Turns out the lady was only joking, making them even more flustered.

Naomi and Persephone picked them not long after the Target run. When they got in the car, they notice that Nico needed a shower or something to cover his scent, and the rings on both buy's hand. The girls shared a glance but never said anything. They just hoped they hadn't gone off and signed marriage papers.

The women escorted the two back to their rooms. They stopped by Nico's room first, standing off to let the boys have their private conversation. Persephone had snuck a look at them, seeing them with frowns and sad looks.

The wedding rehearsal was two days away. Nico would be announcing his decision to step down and would be leaving a few hours after that. He and Will wouldn't be given much time between now and then. All they could hope for was a miracle. 


	51. Chapter 50

Wednesday came with dread. Nico was twenty-four hours away from leaving with nothing but a suitcase and the paycheck his father had promised from being Bianca's bodyguard. The amount of money hadn't been said but it undoubtedly a lot. He'd been guarding his sister for months now and he was being paid for each hour he 'worked'. A majority of it was just fooling around but Hades didn't need to know that.

No one had time to do anything but to get ready. The wedding rehearsal started at four, followed by dinner and the reception. It was there that the news of Nico's ownership of the crown and throne. No one was ready for the news, including Nico.

There would be questions. Why'd he give it up? That's was the most obvious and the biggest, of course. And what would he be doing now? Nico had the answer and a few others knew it too.

The rehearsal started. Only a few selected court members were allowed to watch the ceremony. Nico was forced to be there, thanks to his lovely father Hades.

Hazel ran down the aisle, despite being told to walk, throwing flower petals down as she did. Shortly after, Will came walked to the front a painfully fake smile plastered on his face. He and Nico made eye contact but they both dropped it, unable to accept that this was even happening. Then came Bianca, who didn't even try to hide her true thoughts.

Her posture was awful, making the white dress look less glamorous. The veil that covered his face hid her expression but those who knew how she felt about the situation could see it. The only thing that kept her from turning around was Hades who was leading her to the front, a smile on his face.

Nico glared but he doubted he, or anyone else, noticed it. And after passing the bride off to the groom, Hades took a seat beside Hazel who was the barrier between the two of them.

Nico did his best to ignore the ceremony as it was happening, but it was impossible. The vows that were said shouldn't have been coming out of his sister's mouth and Will shouldn't have been saying them to a girl, let alone Bianca. And the fact that there was nothing he could do about it without drastic consequences only made it worse.

Finally, as the "I do's" were about to be said, Nico was getting ready to get up and use the bathrooms but he didn't even stand before Hades pulled him back down.

"Don't you dare leave," Hades warned into his ear. "You're going to sit and watch this."

"Please," Nico pled on the verge of tears. "Don't make me."

"You're staying," Hades told him. And that was final.

Will and Bianca shared a kiss and everyone cheered. Nico forced a smile after seeing the look his father gave him.

B and Will turned to leave the room and Will made the mistake of looking at Nico. The blonde's heart broke when he saw the other was now standing, clapping with a miserable smile and tears rushing down his face.

Will focused on the door he and Bianca were headed out. If he looked back, there was no doubt he'd cry as well.

***

The reception wasn't any better. Nico nearly forty minutes late, which Will obviously took note of. When he came in, Will couldn't see any evidence that Nico had been crying but he knew better. Percy and Jason came in not long after, sitting down with their cousin.

Will jumped, feeling something on his hand. He looked it see it's was Bianca's hand on his.

"I'll distract my dad later so you can sneak off with him," B told him. "When the time is right, I'll let you know."

"Thank you."

"It's the least I can do."

Will didn't say anything else. It wasn't Bianca's fault they were in this but they were there anyway.

Dinner came and went as did dessert. Bianca and Will gave a speech, thanking everyone who came and promising that the real wedding would be even better. Afterward, they handed the mic off to the kings, allowing them to say a few words.

Apollo went first, telling a story about Will when he was nine or something and how proud he was of his son. Nico wasn't listening. He had put his headphones in and was now blaring music. He pulled them out when Hades started talking, wonder what sort of lies would come out of his mouth now.

For the most part, Hades was saying how happy he was to see his first born go off and get married to a nice man. He phrased if very specifically, making Nico feel personally attacked. At the end, however, Nico was called up to the front. Taking a deep breath, Nico did as he was told, mental bracing himself to say the words.

"Good evening everyone. Hope you're enjoying everything. I have an announcement to make, as my father said," Nico paused, recalling the speech he'd practiced earlier.

"As prince, I've been raised to rule my kingdom. I've learned to how to help those who live in it, how to lead them, how to do what's right for them... Despite his being my duty to my kingdom, I do not think I'm fit for the role. I'm relinquishing my claim to the throne and my title as prince in hopes that the next in line will do better than I have. With that being said, I'll hand the mic back to my father. Thank you all for listening."

There was a moment of silence and Nico panicked. Then, slowly, the clapping started. Nico made his way back to his seat, ignoring the looks he was getting. He could feel judgment from some people and empathy from others. He didn't need anyone's pity.

Hours passed before Bianca was able to distract Hades. Will took the chance to find Nico and sneak out to the gardens. It wasn't easy with everyone around but they reached their spot without being stopped. Neither knew how they were noticed but they took it as a blessing.

"Are you okay?" Will asked, holding Nico by the elbows.

"Yes. I'm fine."

There was a silence, a moment of hesitation. Nico bit his lip before reaching up and kissing Will. They hadn't done that their date a few days ago. Now that he had, he didn't know if that was the best option.

"You're not okay," Will stated when they pulled away. They knew this would be their last private moment for the time being

"I'm not," the other agreed, his voice cracking.

It might have been Will that moved first, or it could've been Nico. It didn't matter, they were now wrapped in the other's arms. Time passed and they knew they couldn't stay much longer; not unless they wanted people to start looking for them.

"I got you a gift," the blonde whispered.

"Will, please. I--"

"It's okay. I know we talked about not getting a parting gift but..."

They both sighed, stepping away from each other.

"I got you one too," Nico admitted. "I was going to leave it on your piano or something."

The reason didn't need to be said. It was obvious that it would be too hard to give it to Will in person. And if he was being honest, he felt the same but he also knew that if he didn't, he'd regret it till the next time he saw Nico.

"I have your gift on me," the taller boy said, stopping Nico before he could say anything. "Don't worry about giving me my gift. If you'd prefer not to do it face to face, that's okay. But I'm going to give you yours now. If that's okay?"

Nico nodded, taking a deep breath. Till took one as well, reaching into his jacket for whatever the surprise was.

The smaller boy caught a glimpse and knew it was a Mythomagic card, leaving him to wonder which card it was. He didn't have to wonder long because Will placed the card in his hand. The only thing Nico could do was gasp.

"Will..."

"I did my homework," the blonde smirked.

The card that was resting in Nico's hand was one of the rarest cards. Only twenty were known to be owned by players and the card was only printed five times a year.

"How did you get the 'Death's Favor' card?"

"I pulled some strings. Amazing what you can do when you a prince."

The card, if played correctly, could resurrect the most OP creatures in the whole game or wipe out an opponent in nearly one turn. With this card in his deck, Nico was guaranteed to with the Mythomagic Tournament.

And it would be all thanks to Will.

"I'm going to win this," Nico promised. "And when I do, everyone will know it's because of you."

Will smiled. Words could not express what he was thinking at that moment so he let his actions do so, taking Nico's face and kissing him deeply.

"Nico," Will lowered his voice, almost like he was about to tell Nico a secret, "I have something to tell you."

But Nico shook his head. He knew what the blonde was about to say, and as much as he wanted to hear it, he knew he wouldn't be about to handle those three words.

"Don't say it," Nico pled, taking Will hands and kissing each knuckle. "Please don't say it."

"I won't."

***

The next morning was painful. No one slept peacefully, knowing what would be coming when they awoke.

Nico and Hades met in Apollo's office to sign all the papers needed to officially give up his title and power. Apollo watched with a concerning look while Hades carefully observed every stroke of the pen. Naomi and Persephone stood nearby, holding their breath, waiting for something to go wrong. Nothing did, and that could've been considered both good and bad.

Thanatos was outside the room, doing his best to keep everyone at bay. Percy and Jason had marched down to Apollo's office to argue with Hades but was stopped by the king's advisor. Not long after, their girlfriends came by to try and stop them, as well as Will, Bianca, Rachel, and Thalia. Now there was nothing but yelling.

When the door opened, the hall went silent. Everyone turned to see Nico leaving the room, looking exhausted.

"It's done," he said. That was all he said.

"Nico..." Jason had no words. Nobody did.

"I have till noon to leave," he added. "Only an hour."

Everyone stared, still speechless. Nico rolled his eyes.

"If you've got anything to say, say it now. Chances of me being able to see you guys without... complications are slim."

Both his boy cousins pulled him into a bear hug. Thalia joined in, unable to resist the urge. The others followed suit. And when they broke away, Nico reached for Will's hand pulling him back, needing to feel the person he loved the most. He didn't even care if the others looked. He needed this.

***

Noon came all too quickly. Hades, being the cruel person he was, stalled Will so he missed Nico leave. What Hades didn't know was that he and Nico had already said their goodbyes.

That didn't make it any less painful though.

There was a knock on Will's door. He didn't say anything from under his blanket but the person came in any way. He knew right away it was one of his parents, if not both.

He knew it was his mom by the way the bed dipped down behind him and by the hand rubbing his shoulder.

"How are you holding up?" Naomi asked.

Will only moved his head and his mother saw his face. Tears stained, red, and swollen eyes. Seeing her son like that was enough to make her cry as well.

"Oh, Will," she cooed, holding him close. Will sobbed, hugging his mother like he was a little kid again.

"I love him, Mom! I love him so much."

"I know, sweety. I know."

"And now he's gone."  
  
"But he's going to wait for you."

"I don't want him waiting for me. He's been through enough. He deserves to be happy."

She sushed her son from rambling on, waiting for him to calm down to think rationally. And, like any good mother, she waited for as long as it took. Once he was in the right mindset, she spoke her words of wisdom.

"I may not Nico as well as you do, but I can tell you he will wait for however long it takes to have you back in his arms. And I also know you will both fight for it as well. So there's no need to fret, my sweet."

Will clutched onto his mother a little longer, and she rocked him back and forth, humming a familiar tune. He recognized it as the same song she'd sing to him as a kid when she was tucking him in or when he was sad.

After several minutes, Naomi moved them for they were laying, her still cradling her son like he was a baby. Normally, Will would've been scrambling away, like any boy who thought he was too old for cuddles with his mom, but not now. He needed his mom right now.

Eventually, Will fell asleep. One his mother was completely sure he was out, she kissed his head, pulled the blanket up to his chin and quietly left the room.

The first thing she did was find Persephone. The other queen was with Hazel watching a Disney movie. When Naomi entered, however, Persephone set the aside the little girl to rush to her friend's side.

"Is Will okay?" was the first thing to come out of her mouth.

"He will be. And Nico?"

"He won't answer his phone. Bianca said she got a text from him though. Apparently, he can't get out of the city tonight, so he's checked into a hotel for the night."

"Perfect. Our plan will work."

"Yes, it will," Persephone beamed. "Now, let's let the other's in on it."

And the two went off to find four certain teens that would be more than willing to help see a happy ending tomorrow.


	52. Chapter 51 (Pt. 1)

As Will got ready the next day for the real ceremony, he could've sworn the world was ending. Or, at least his was. And possibly Bianca's.

Everything went smoothly, surprisingly. Will half expected it to be like all the horror stories you hear about in movies or shows or from those overdramatic cousins or something. Then again, Bianca was exactly Bridezilla either. If anything, the only one really freaking out about everything was Hades.

"The flowers aren't where they're supposed to be," Hades told one of the servants.

"But, Your Highness, I-"

"Put it where it should be!"

"Hades," Persephone scolded. "Leave the poor woman alone. Naomi and I told the staff where the flowers were to go and they're where they should be."

"But I thought we agreed to put them over there," the man gestured to the side of the room.

"No. You agreed to that but Naomi and I didn't. So we said they go here."

Before the argument could escalate, Apollo and Naomi came by. Apollo told Hades that he needed help with something, which was a lie. He could tell that the argument was getting more and more heated, so he decided to intervene. Meanwhile, the girls took a moment to breath.

"How's Bianca doing?" Naomi asked and the other sighed. Not a good sign.

"We had to force her into the dress."

"We?"

"Thalia, Rachel, Annabeth and me. It was a disaster. How about Will?"

"Not much better," Naomi frowned. "I mean, we didn't have to force him into his suit but be just looks so... empty. It's hard seeing him like that."

"I can imagine."

Luckily, Naomi managed a smile, reminding her friend of the plan. "If all goes well, then we won't have to worry about the kids."

"That is true," Persephone smiled. Both laughed before going to check up on the bride.

***

Nico woke up to his phone beeping non stop. Groaning, he checked his phone, resulting in more tears pouring out his eyes and an urge to throw his phone out the window.

More alerts on the royal wedding. Only two hours away now. Nico only hopped that he could get out of town before the end of it. At the end, there'd be fireworks and a lot of other thing that he just didn't want to put up with.

Nico had also noticed that he had about thirty, if not more, text messages from Bianca and twenty something from Rachel. He didn't care about their messages, only Will's. Part of him wanted to check his phone for those message but he also knew he's see those stupid notifications about the wedding.

His phone pinged again and Nico chose to ignore it. Instead of checking it, he decided to take one of the longest and hottest showers of his life before he packed up again.

Last night when he had checked into the hotel, Nico had a pit of an emotional breakdown. He had thrown everything from his suitcase around the room, though nearly everything he had packed was clothing, so no damage was done to anything. Though that meant he now had to fold everything again, and Nico hated folding.

Sighing, he decided it was about time to get out of the shower and face his reality again.

***

Will stared at himself in the mirror, feeling defeated. In a little less than an hour, he'd be a young married man with a girl who did not love him and whom he did not love either.

What a situation to be in.

There was a knock on the door, which he didn't want to answer but knew he had to. So he gave the person. Giving them the okay to come in.

Turning, he saw Bianca standing there in her wedding gown, the real one, and veil in her hand. Despite the makeup that cover her face, it was obvious that she had been crying before anything was applied.

"You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?"

"Is it too late to fake our deaths?" Bianca asked, ignoring Will's comment.

"Unfortunately," Will said.

Sighing, she took a seat. "Why didn't we think of that earlier," she wondered out loud. "If we had been given time, we could've made it sound tragic."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If we had made it like a suicide then we could've made it look like some stupid lovey-dovey stuff, you know?"

Will raised an eyebrow. Bianca rolled her eyes, giving him and over exaggerated example.

"'Oh, how I loved William Solace, first of his name. Him and his shiny gold locks. I loved him so much that it pained me just thinking about him, leaving me with no other option then to take my own life. That is why I have poisoned my own wine.'"

She put her hands around her throat, pretending to have trouble breathing and fell over on the couch dead. A second later, she sat back up with a grin on her face.

"How was that?"

"Unbelievable," Will answered honestly.

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"It was to me."

Will rolled his eyes, the somber feeling returning. Bianca sensed it coming back as well. Both of then sighed, trying to think of something else to distract themselves from reality. Sadly, the only thing that came was a knock at the door telling them that it was time.

"Well," B frowned, "see you at the altar."

"Same for you."

***

Nico was shoving the last of his clothing into his suitcase when there was a knock at the hotel door. Sighing, he told whoever it was to go away.

The person knocked again and Nico told them again to go away.

Now two people were knocking and they were very persistent. So the black haired boy marched over to the door, ready to 'politely' tell who ever it was to leave. Only when he opened the door, he found his cousins Percy and Jason who let themselves in.

"We need to hurry," Percy said. Nico didn't know if that was directed at him or at Jason.

"Aren't you two supposed to be at the wedding?" Nico asked.

Both his cousins were clearly dressed for a wedding, or at least something similar to it. But considering the royal wedding was starting in thirty minutes, he would hope that's where they were heading.

"Go put his on," Jason ordered Nico, tossing him a suit that he had brought. Somehow Nico had missed that he'd been holding it the whole time.

"What? Why?"

"Why?" Percy looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Are you really going to let the love of you life get married to you sister? Come on, Nico. You deserve to be happy after all this time."

Nico knew that his cousins words were true but that wasn't what he was thinking. His mind was hung up on one of he said at the beginning, but he said nothing about it.

"I'm not allowed at the wedding. And even if I was, there's no way I would say anything with my dad in the room."

"That's why we're objecting the wedding."

"But I can't. My dad will--"

"Nico," Jason stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Do you love Will?"

"What?" Nico gasped.

"Do you love Will?" he repeated.

Of course Nico did. Who wouldn't? But hearing the words 'love' and 'Will' in the same sentence out loud... it sounded different than it had in his head.

"Well, duh," Nico answered, pushing Jason off him. "How could I not?"

"Would you be willing to do anything for him? Even if it meant facing your biggest fear?"

"Yes."

Jason took the suit and pressed it to the younger boy's chest, a gleam in his eyes.

"Then you go into the bathroom and you put this on so we can go stop this thing from happening."

"But what about traffic?"

Nico looked out his hotel window. Not to long ago all he could see was cars were backed up for miles in every direction. If the three of them were to take a vehicle to where the wedding was being head, they wouldn't be getting there till the ceremony it was over, and that was if they were lucky.

"We rode horses here," Percy told him, shoving him into the bathroom. "We can cut in between cars and stuff. Traffic shouldn't be a problem."

Nico stood in the doorway, staring at his cousins, who were also staring back, waiting for his response. Then, suddenly and without warning, Nico slammed the door shut and not long after did the two boys outside the door hear a lot of things moving around.

Five minutes later, the black haired boy stepped out in his casual looking suit and his hair pulled back into a tiny ponytail. The suit was simple. Black slacks, a white button up with a plain black tie and a black suit jacket to top it all off. Nico sat down on the bed to put on the dress shoes, asking what the plan was.

"We have two people ready to open the door leading to where the ceremony is being held," Percy told him, taking a seat as well. "Luckily there's only one set of doors and then we're in."

"What about security?"

"Do you really think they're going to question two princes' who are running late for a wedding?" Jason pointed out.

"No but they might question me."

The blonde waved it off. "They'll be too busy trying to get us to slow down to notice an extra person."

Nico stood up, smoothing out his jacket. After taking a deep breath, Nico looked up at his cousins with a worried look.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Nico," Jason put a hand on his shoulder, "do you love Will?"

"Yes."

"Say it."

Looking away, Nico mumbled it. Jason and Percy glanced at one another before focusing in Nico again.

"Say it so we can hear," Percy told him.

"I love Will," the smaller boy said a little louder but still not loud enough for their liking.

"Louder!" Both boys demanded.

Looking up to meet their eyes Nico reated it again, and again, and again.

"I love Will! I love Will! I love Will!"

"There we go!" Percy shouted. "Now let's get a move on."

"Yeah!" the other two exclaimed.

All three of them ran out of the room and to the elevator, leaving everything behind in the hotel room. Nico hadn't checked out yet so their stuff would remain where they were for now.

Once in the elevator, Nico took a moment to breath, letting the plan sink in a little more. Was he afraid, yes. Terrified even, but he was glad he was doing. And he had to thank the two guys beside him to encouraging to face this fear of his.

"Thanks guys," Nico told them both. "You guys are the best. Especially you, Percy."

"Why's that?" his cousin asked, cocking his head to the side.

"For helping me realize I was gay."

"What?" Percy asked, unaware he had done such a thing. "How?"

But the elevator opened, and they stepped out, ready for their mission. Percy kept asking what the younger boy meant with what he had just said, but he got no answer. And as they mounted the two horses, Jason finally told him to shut up so they could focus on getting to the ceremony before it was too late.

***

The wedding ceremony was about to begin. Annabeth peeked her head into the room full of guest, seeing no sign of Percy or Jason. Piper was sitting in her seat with two empty chairs by her. She kept looking down at her phone like she was waiting for a text or growing impatient with the passing time.

"What is it?" Thalia asked.

"There are two certain boys are missing," Annabeth informed her, suspicion in her voice. Thalia didn't look fazed. "Do you know something?"

"Who? Me? No, of course not."

Annabeth opened her mouth to argue back but was stopped before she could start. Naomi and Persephone came up to them, telling them to get ready. The blonde checked the time to see there were five minutes before the wedding started.

Sighing, she took her spot behind Thalia and linked arms with Will's friend Austin. Sadly, even if she tried, five minutes wouldn't be enough to get any information out of Thalia. All that she could do was hope that her boyfriend and Jason would be in the room and sitting when they entered.

Not long after getting into the line herself, she saw Will approaching with his mother and Bianca with her father. Both the soon to be newlyweds looked miserable. No one blamed them for it either.

The music started and the doors opened. Thalia and Cecil began their slow walk to the end of the aisle. Once they reached the end, Annabeth and Austin entered and the girl immediately looked over to where Piper was. Still no sign of either of the boys.

The two girls shared a look. Piper looked just as puzzled as the blonde felt. Percy better be prepared to face the consequences later.

Will walked his mother down the aisle and waited for her to take her seat beside Apollo before continuing to the altar. As Naomi went to sit down, Will noticed that Persephone and Rachel were missing from their seats. He wasn't the only one to notice either.

Then the bride entered and everyone rose up once she was in the room. Somehow, Bianca had managed a smile, matching her father's. However, if anyone looked too closely, it was clear that it wasn't real. Even from across the room, it was obvious the smile didn't reach her eyes.

Once Hades had offered her away and taken his seat, B took Will's arm, letting her smile fall for a moment.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she muttered back.

They turned to face the priest in front of them. He had already started to thank everyone for coming and telling them to take their seats. For a majority of the opening speech, Will didn't pay any attention. At the end, right before they actually got to wedding stuff, the man said some of the best words that should've been followed by someone but weren't:

"If anyone can show a just cause for why this couple cannot lawfully be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Silence. Bianca quietly let out a deep breath, finally accepting her fate.

"Then let's begin," he man said, smiling at the crowd before turning to the young couple in front of him. "We have gathered here today to--"

A loud bang stopped everything. Everyone turned to the back of the room where the doors were now opened and a horse was coming to halt in the middle of the aisle. Sat on top of the horse was none other than Nico.

"I object!: He screamed as he hopped down.

"Nico!" Bianca and Will cheered. Both ran over to hug him, despite the few people trying to stop them.

"I object," Nico repeated. "There are many, many reason my sister cannot marry Will but the only one that matters is that they don't love each other. And... and I love Will."

Gasps were heard from everyone around, though neither of the boys seemed to hear them.

Time froze for them and all they could see was each other. Will stepped closer, pulling the boy he loved to his chest, kissing him with everything he had. Cheers were heard, as well as a handful of more gasps and even a few boo's, once again going unheard from the couple that were now kissing.

"I love you, too," Will told Nico as they pulled away. Nico kissed him again, but not as long as the other one they had just shared.

It was beautiful moment, but Hades had to ruin it, of course.

"This can not happen!" the king yelled. "I will not allow it!"

"You can't do anything about it," Bianca snapped at her father. He turned her glare towards her but she didn't back down.

"Your highness," the priest, who had been forgotten in the all the commotion, spoke up, "the only way you can do to continue the wedding for how it was originally intended is be defeating the person objecting the ceremony to a challenge. If you win, then your daughter will have to marry the prince."

"Who gets to pick the challenge?" Hades asked.

"Well, since you're the one challenging the objectoner, you do, your Highness."

"That's no fair," Nico pouted. "I'm the one objecting the wedding. And I'm trying to take the groom. Doesn't that meet I have to fight the bride in some way?"

"Only if you weren't stopped," the old man told him. "And since you didn't challenge anyone when you came in, that means anyone can step up and take on the objector."

"Well, shit," Nico mumbled. "Why didn't Percy or Jason tell me that part?"

"Have you decided on a challenge, you highness?" the priest asked, directing his attention back to Hades.

With a cruel grin, Hades nodded and stated the challenge he had picked.

"Nico di Angelo, I challenge you to a game of Mythomagic. We meet back here in one hour. Failure to attend will mean you lose your only chance at being Will."

Nico and Bianca paled. Will was confused, Nico was the best Mythomagic player he had ever seen. Then again, he hadn't seen many others play it.

Hades swiftly left the room, most likely to get his deck of cards or whatever he needed. Meanwhile, Will was trying to figure out why the two in front of him looked terrified.

"I've only ever beaten him in a game of Mythomagic once, and that was only two weeks ago," Nico finally said.

Now he understood the problem.


	53. Chapter 51 (Pt. 2)

Nico paced for next hour while shuffling his deck of Mythomagic cards. Frank, who had ran into the room a few minutes after the challenge had been declared, was doing his best to encourage Nico but it didn't seem to be helping. Hazel joined in but even with both the children's efforts, the ex-prince was still anxious.

The game was going to be played online so that neither of the players could cheat. Nico only had his cards out so he had something to do with his hands. The deck he was holding was one he already had set up online, and was also the one he was planning to use during the tournament later that month.

"You can do this, Nico!" Frank repeated for the tenth(?) time. "You're the best Mythomagic player ever."

"Yeah," Hazel agreed. "The bestest."

"Thanks, guys, but I'm still worried."

Will frowned. He wanted to do something to calm his boyfriends nerves, but he couldn't think of anything that would work.

Time came for the game to begin. Nico took a deep breath, handed his cards to Frank who, promised to look after them with his life, and whipped his palms on his pants.

Hades was already waiting when Nico entered the room. Two laptops were set up on a table with wires hooked up to a few broadcasting systems; no doubt this was being televised all over the country.

Will caught Nico's hand before he sat down, giving his a quick squeeze. Nico turned to give the blonde a kiss. When they parted, Will wished him luck, letting go of his hand.

Nico took the seat opposite of his opponent. On the screen before him was the game's page. There was a pending request, obviously from Hades. Bracing himself, he clicked on the notification and accepted the invite, glancing up at he did. Hades was looked at him, a grin plastered on his face.

The sound of virtual cards being shuffled was heard and the game started.

Hades got to go first, choosing to place two land cards. Nico, unfortunately, had no land cards to place, so he had to discard a card of his choosing and pick the first card off the deck. Now his turn was over.

Hades took the opportunity to set up a druid on one of his lands, ready to attack once Nico gave him the chance. Luckily, the boy had drawn a land card, and already had a stone wall to protect said land card. It wasn't the best defense, but it was all he could do for now.

The game went on like that for the first ten minutes. Nico was having no luck when it came to drawing cards, meaning his father had the upper hand. That was, until a miracle happened.

The black haired boy just so happened to pick up a stunning spell for the wizard that he had on the battlefield. The stun would only work of certain creatures, two of which Hades had playing right now. So he did the most logical thing and played the stunning spell. Nico smirked, knowing that he was safe from two enemies for three rounds. Hades, however, was irked by the action.

The playing field started to level out. Both boys had different cards but with the same attack damage. The game slowed down a bit, making them think more strategically than before. Nico had to extra careful because Hades had a higher health bar than he had.

And, as if the gaming gods heard his prayers, Nico drew two healing spells; one for his soldiers, and another for a land card. By using both at the same time, his overall health went back up 80 points. Now he was the one with the better health.

And then it all took a turn for the worst, as most things with Nico do.

Hades played all the most powerful cards he had in his deck at once, dropping Nico's health points down to 105. Everyone, even those who didn't understand the game, gasped. Obviously, 105 HP wasn't a good thing.

"Your turn, kid," Hades smiled. An evil smile.

Luckily, thurns weren't timed. Nico had all the time in the world to process what had just happened.

"You know you can forfeit," Hades reminded him, a glint in his eyes. "Save the little pride you have."

Nico narrowed his eyes, fixating them on the screen again. There was no way he was forfeiting, especially if that's what Hades was hoping he'd do.

He clicked to pick up two new cards, nearly gasping as he did. There was no way of missing the hopeful look Nico had. Grinning, he looked up at his father, using the same words against him.

"Are you sure you don't want to forfeit?"

"Why would I do that?" Hades inquired. "I'm winning."

"You had your chance," the boy warned.

Nico played the two cards, hitting the 'confirm' button. Hades gasped and Nico leaned back, allowing himself to enjoy as his father panicked.

"I knew you had Asclepius but how did you get your hands on Death's Favor?"

Nico watched the animations on the laptop, very pleased with the results he was getting.

Asclepius went through Nico's discarded deck, tossing three cards back into his playing deck. Meanwhile, a reaper appeared, swinging his scythe once. All of his father's creatures and soldiers died and his land was badly damaged. The reaper vanished, laughing menacingly as he went.

Nico's HP was still 105, but Hades had dropped all the way down to 25.

"Sure you don't want to forfeit?" Nico mocked. "Save what little pride you have?"

Hades glared and Nico held it there. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the old man's face fell and turned, defeated, towards his screen. Two words followed his actions:  
  
"You win."

The whole room erupted with cheers. Nico jumped from his seat and into Will's arms. Bianca barreled into the two of them, hugging and crying tears of joy. Other's joined the hug but the boys could care less.

They won. Love won.

***

Even though there was no wedding, everyone went to the reception. There, the two love birds sat in the seats of honor and dined with the rest of the guest who chose to attend.

The dance floor was cleared for dancing. Nico dragged Will out, making them the first there. His cousins and sisters weren't too far behind. Since the days events had changed, so did the music. Instead of love songs, it was nothing but Nico's punk/rock music and Will's 60's through the 90's playlist. Most people didn't have a problem with this. Others did but nobody cared about them.

Nico slipped away with Bianca for about twenty minutes and re-entered the room again wearing the wedding dress that had been tailored for him. Will's face reddened when he saw his boyfriend but laughed along with everyone else.

Cake was brought out and cut. By that time, Nico had changed back into suit, claiming that dresses were heavy and a hassle to deal with. Will sympathized from the day he had to wear one, and the girls simply shook their heads. Neither of them had to deal with it as often as they did.

Will managed to sneak off. Nico was just about to question where the blonde had gone when the music suddenly faded out and a path started to clear way. At the end was Will with a ukulele, strumming the chords to a familiar tone. When he sang the first line, Nico recognized it instantly and fell even more in love with him.

"She asked me, 'Son, when I grow old

Will you buy me a house of gold?

And when your father turns to stone

Will you take care of me?'"

The first song they ever shared together. The first real bonding moment they had while listening to this song. The day Nico came out to Will with this song playing.

Needless to say, the emotions starting hitting Nico. He laughed and he tried to stop the joyous tears as they came. Will smiled, continuing on with the song until he couldn't handle seeing Nico so happy. He couldn't fight the urge to embrace him and kiss him any longer.

"Surprise," Will whispered in his ear.

"Best surprise," Nico said. "I didn't even know you knew how to play the ukulele." Will laughed.

After that, the night started to slow down. Will and Nico were swaying along to a slow song when the blonde noticed the other dozing off on his shoulder. It was cute but not the best position to fall asleep in.

Will picked him up and carried him to his room. Nico's room had been cleared out and was in no way ready for another person to stay the night in. Hopefully Nico wouldn't have a problem waking up with his boyfriend.

He had just set Nico down when there was a knock at his door. Will went to open it, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't need anything. He was tired and just wanted to cuddle with the black haired boy on his bed.

Apollo stood outside the door, looking just as tired as Will felt.

"Is Nico in there?" his dad asked. Will nodded.

"That's okay, right?"

"Yeah, of course. I just wanted to see if you'd like to come with me on a car ride."

Will bite his lip, considering his options. In the end, he chose to go with his dad, sensing the car ride was more than what the other was letting on.

***

Will was a little shocked to see his dad get into the driver's seat. He knew his dad knew how to drive but they were royalty. They had people to drive them around. Without further questioning, the hopped into the passenger's seat and asked where they were going.

"To the flower shop," Apollo answered.

Will knew where they were going afterwards but chose not to say anything. Luckily, he didn't have to. Apollo started up a conversation that had nothing to do with the car ride, just simple things.

At first, he asked how Will was doing with his music and that he liked the song he played for Nico earlier. Then he asked if he'd seen anything worth watching lately and Will mentioned the movie he and Nico went to see a few days ago. He didn't mean for it to slip out that he and Nico had a day out, but Apollo didn't seem fazed by it. Maybe he knew already.

"Your mom and Persephone were the ones who set up the wedding crash," his father told him. "I'd recommend getting them flowers while we're there."

Will grinned. "I will."

Apollo smiled, ruffling his son's hair. "I'm happy for you two, but we're going to have to have a talk later. I'm sure the women will want to set some boundaries since you two are so young," he teased.

"Dad! Ew, no. We're not old enough for that."

"The legal age here is 16, so really you're both old en--"

"Stop!"

"Okay, okay," Apollo chuckled. "But we will need to set a few boundaries and figure out what to do with you guys."

"Why's that?"

"Nico's no longer a prince. Now, that doesn't mean he can't stay at the palace, or you two can't be together, but it does affect how your education will go. That can discussed later, though."

Will wanted to argue more but they pulled into a parking spot. The blonde looked up to see they were outside a flower shop, which was still open despite how late it was. On their way in, Will glanced at the hours sign to see that the place was actually a 24 hour flower shop that was closed on Wednesdays. Strange but also convenient unless it was a Wednesday.

A bell rang as they entered and the woman at the cash register looked up from her magazine, smiling when she saw Apollo. The smile was something more than what an employee would give to a customer.

"Almost thought you weren't showing up this year," she joked.

"Oh, Katie, you should know me better by now."

She laughed, turning her attention to Will. "Who's that you've got with you?"

"My son, Will."

Katie offered a hand. "Nice to meet you, Will."

"Likewise."

Apollo disappeared into the back of the store to get the flowers he needed before sending Will to find his flowers. While he was off doing that, Apollo chatted with Katie, catching up on the past few months. They only saw each other twice a year when he stopped by, but Katie had always been understanding of his situation.

Will came back with two healthy bouquets and two small potted plants, one similar to the plant Apollo had pick out. The other was some sort of lily that he was planning to give to Nico in the morning. Once they had paid for everything, they thanked Katie and got back in the car.

It was another ten minutes before they got to the graveyard. The gates were still open and Will wondered if that's because they always were or if his dad had something to do with it.

Apollo parked the car, picking up the little potted plant he had purchased and started leading the way. Will couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. Sure, there were the normal street sounds

and bugs making noise but it all seemed more distant. Apollo was silent, making him feel more aware of his surroundings.

It was dark out, obviously, since it was night. Street lights lit parts of the graveyard, but only the outskirts of it. Luckily, Apollo came prepared with two mini flashlights for them to see.

There were hundreds of headstones. Will read the names on some of the ones they passed and whatever else was on them if he had time. Some had a symbol of honor engraved into the stone, leaving Will to wonder if they had died serving or if they were veterans that had it put there so people passing by would know.

Finally, Apollo stopped and turned down one of the lines of headstones before coming to a halt in front of one. Will looked down and saw they were there.

The headstone was made of some sort of white stone, polished to look smooth and shiny. There was a flower made of glass in the stone, no doubt that is was something Hyacinth found symbolic or meaningful in a way. The words engraved were in black, reading:

_Here lies Hyacinthus Ánthos_

_The best partner anyone could ask for,_

_And a man who died too young_

\---

_"I hope that someday, everyone can walk down the_

_streets holding hands with the one they love_

_without fear of judgement."_

Will felt a tear run down his cheek but quickly wiped it away. He glanced up at his dad who was standing and staring at the grave with a sad smile. Apollo set his flowers down first with his son following his lead.

"So this is Hyacinth," Will said. It came out timidly.

"Yep," Apollo confirmed. "Will, this is Hyacinth. Hyacinth, this is my son William, though he prefers to be called Will."

Was it a little weird talking to a headstone? Yes, just a little, but Will understood. It was a way to feel connected to those who passed, and although he'd never met Hyacinth, he knew he must've been a good guy. The way his father spoke about him and the way his eyes softened... it was impossible to even think elsewise.

Will listened as Apollo spoke to Hyacinth. He talked about how happy he was for Will and Nico, diving into the details of today's events. Will laughed at the ways his dad described certain parts, nudging at one point. After forty minutes, Apollo's laughter died down and he sighed.

"Twenty seven years," the man stated. "Twenty seven long years... can't believe it's been that long."

There was a long silence. Apollo seemed to be searching for the right words, only to find himself holding back tears. So Will took it upon himself to say something.

"I... I didn't know who you were till a week ago," he said aloud. "But my dad told me who you were and what happened. He told me after he found out I was sneaking around to date my fiancé's brother."

Apollo laughed a little, and Will smiled.

"I don't know much about you, Hyacinth, but it seems like you really wanted people to be loved by whoever and have that be acceptable. Hopefully I can help make that happen."

Will heard his dad sniffle before he got his hair ruffled again. The blonde leaned into his dad's side, comforting him that way.

"That sounds that a great idea, kiddo. And don't worry, Hyacinth. I'll be helping out too."

They said their goodbyes before heading back to the car. Apollo didn't speak the whole way back to the car or on their way to the palace but Will could tell he was more at peace. Tired but still at peace.

***

Will woke up the next morning with Nico trying to hide his face further into the blonde's neck. He knew Nico must've been awake in order to so. Will silently moved his hand up into Nico's hair, running his fingers through it.

"Where'd you go last night?" Nico asked.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was but the light from the hall woke me up for a second."

Will kissed Nico's head. "My dad wanted me to go on a car ride with him. Nothing bad. Just a car ride."

"Oh."

They fell back into a nice morning silence. So silent, that Will dozed back off and when he woke up again, he noticed someone had brought breakfast up and saw that Nico was stepping out of the bathroom. His hair was dripping and he was wearing Will's clothes.

"Morning, Sunshine," he grinned, coming to lay by the blonde. Will leaned up to kiss Nico but was stopped. "Ew, no. You haven't brushed your teeth yet."

"You're no fun," Will told him.

"I'm plenty of fun."

"Sure you are."

"Is that a challenge?" Nico grinned some more.

"I don't know. Is it?"

Nico tackled him, kissing his boyfriend. Will melted into the kiss, enjoying the feeling of Nico's mouth against his.

"I love you," Will mumbled as they parted.

"I love you more."

"Who's the one challenging now?"

Nico laughed, bringing their lips together again, wishing they could stay like that forever.

***

Two weeks later, Will stood with Nico on the steps of the palace, saying their goodbyes to each other. It wasn't a final farewell, just a temporary one. A lot of things had changed over the past two weeks.

Persephone filed for divorce and custody of Hazel and Nico. Hades agreed to conditions that Persephone had offered and signed off on the papers, watching the woman he loved walk out of his life. He later said that he was willing to let her go if it made her happy, and that was that. Now Nico was moving in with Persephone and her mother which was a long drive. Almost sixteen hours.

"I'm going to miss you," Will mumbled, leaning to kiss Nico again.

"I'll miss you too," Nico assured. "But I'll call you every night and visit whenever I can."

"I know, but still."

Nico laughed as Will buried his face into the smaller boy's neck, his blonde hair tickling him slightly. They stayed wrapped in each other's warmth for what felt like hours, but it wasn't enough. Hazel was sent to pull them apart and bring Nico to the car that they were taking home.

"I love you," Nico smiled, pressing their lips together again.

"I love you too," Will replied, grinning. Nico giggled, kissing him again before heading to the car. He looked back before stepping into the car, waving to Will. The blonde, of course, waved back, but it was obvious he was trying to fight the urge to run and hug him again.

"I'll text you," Nico told him.

Then he got into the car and the driver took off. By the time he was buckled in, he saw he had one text from a very special someone.

_Sunshine_ :

I miss you already

Nico rolled his eyes, blushing like and an idiot. 

_ Ghost King: _

_It hasn't even been 5 min. Will_

_But I miss you too_


End file.
